The-Alien-Encyclopedia-Version-8.Pdf

Home , Aliens Infestation, David 8, Dwayne Hicks

1 Contents

1. Preface...... 5 2. About this book...... 6 a) Using the encyclopedia: A word about Tags and the Appendices...... 6 b) Regarding the Aliens vs. Predator universe and alternate movie scripts...... 6 c) The writing perspective...... 7 d) Alternate versions of Alien³ and the 1988 Aliens comics...... 8 e) Conjecture...... 9 3. The A-Z...... 12 *** 0-9 ***...... 12 *** A ***...... 13 *** B ***...... 27 *** C ***...... 44 *** D ***...... 61 *** E ***...... 76 *** F ***...... 83 *** G ***...... 91 *** H ***...... 97 *** I ***...... 112 *** J ***...... 113 *** K ***...... 120 *** L ***...... 130 *** M ***...... 142 *** N ***...... 158 *** O ***...... 163 *** P ***...... 172 *** Q ***...... 184 *** R ***...... 185 *** S ***...... 199 *** T ***...... 226

2 *** U ***...... 233 *** V ***...... 237 *** W ***...... 239 *** X ***...... 255 *** Y ***...... 258 *** Z ***...... 259 4. Appendices...... 260 APPENDIX I – Abbreviation codex...... 260 a) Comics & graphic novels...... 260 b) DVDs & Blu-Rays...... 261 c) Movies...... 261 d) Non-fiction books...... 261 e) Novels...... 261 f) Video games...... 261 g) Various media...... 262 APPENDIX II – Reference lists...... 263 a) Locations...... 263 b) Lifeforms...... 268 c) Characters...... 269 d) Starships & Vehicles...... 277 e) Weapons & Equipment...... 279 f) Corporations & Organizations...... 280 APPENDIX III – Scale charts...... 281 a) Starships...... 281 b) Xenomorph species encountered by Ellen Ripley...... 282 c) Creatures encountered during the LV-223 incident...... 282 d) Xenomorph subspecies encountered during the Origin incident...... 282 5. Acknowledgments...... 283 6. Resources...... 285 a) Movies...... 285 b) Books...... 285 c) Video games...... 285

3 d) Websites...... 286 7. History...... 287 version 1 (release date: 12/28/2011):...... 287 version 2 (release date: 03/08/2012)...... 287 version 3 (release date: 08/23/2012):...... 289 version 4 (dubbed “Prometheus Update”, release date: 03/16/2013):...... 292 version 5 (dubbed “Colonial Marines Update”, release date: 11/16/2013):...... 299 version 6 (release date: 12/22/2014):...... 303 version 7 (dubbed “Outbreak Update”, release date: 17/10/2015):...... 306 version 8 (dubbed “Nightmare Asylum Update”, release date: xx/xx/2016):...... 310

LEGAL DISCLAIMER:

All titles and storylines below are trademark/copyright their respective publishers and/or creators. This is a non-profit publication for use as a supplement to the Aliens fictional universe and is NOT in any way affiliated with 20th Century Fox or any other licensed distributor of Aliens merchandise. Any items that are property of these sources are not, of course, claimed by this author. All rights are reserved to their original creators.

That being said, the Alien Encyclopedia is © 2011-2016 Markus Friebe. Do not reproduce this document, in part or whole, anywhere without the author's express permission. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized reproduction is prohibited by law without the express permission of the author/compiler/designer.

4 1. Preface

„In space, no one can hear you scream.“...do I need to say more? I could make a long list of quotes from the Alien movies to illustrate how present the franchise still is, even after over 30 years, probably starting with „Game Over, man!“. But I don't want to bore you with common knowledge, because if you read this, you may already know all these quotes in your sleep. I go out on a limb and say that EVERY person has some kind of angle to these films, whether you're art house or main- stream. Starting with the unsettling and sexually suggestive imagery to creating the first female action hero of cinema history (and, surprisingly, pretty much the only one besides Sarah Connor) to Aliens featuring one of the greatest movie showdowns ever.

And it didn't end with the movies. Like every successful movie franchise, the Alien saga has spawned a vast Expanded Universe in the form of comics, novels, video games and even action figures. But as fictional universes get bigger, problems arise. Things can easily get confusing, and sometimes, also even contradict each other. Now multiply this problem, and you get a picture what the folks doing Star Wars have to work with. I feel you, guys! Considering Alien, I'll get into this problem in the „About this book“ section, but just take the first Aliens comics. They made these before the third movie came out, and, of course, they contradicted Alien³, who can blame them? They tried to fix this in reissues and the novels, but still...

So, the need for some kind of guide arises that tries to make sense of the whole mess and provides an overlook when the situation gets foggy. Unfortunately, a definitive guide to the Alien universe has yet to be made. This is where this book comes in. And while we're at it, this is actually not the first encyclopedia I have written. I have done this for the Matrix universe, too, and for some time, it was available on www.matrix-faq.com. Long story short, the website is now defunct (personal budget cuts...) and due to a USB stick formatting screw-up on my behalf, the guide is now completely lost. Sorry, almost completely lost. There is still an old printed-out version of it in my belongings. Perhaps, one day, when I get over how disappointing Matrix Revolutions was...

What you have here is the first release of 2016, version 8. This version continues with the integration of the Earth War story arc, featuring complete coverage of the middle chapter, Nightmare Asy- lum. As with Outbreak, the Encyclopedia provides information from both the comic and the novel version to provide the most complete version of this arc. Naturally, I again used the revised story featuring the Wilks and Billie characters to avoid conflict with Alien³. It's a smaller update than usual, but at the same time, I'm happy to be able to get my plan to release at least two updates per year back on track. But this is not to say that version 8 lacks meat! Enjoy, and stay tuned for version 9 completing the trilogy with its Female War update.

- Markus Friebe

July 1, 2016

5 2. About this book

As the its name implies, the main part of this book consists of an in-depth database of entries covering characters, events, locations, vehicles, weapons, equipment and more from the “Alien” universe. This database is structured based on the conventions of an encyclopedia, meaning that the entries are sorted after the English alphabet and that character entries are named after the pattern “family name, first name” and are placed accordingly.

However, there are some specific characteristics you should know about. If you are aware of them, you can not only use the encyclopedia efficiently, but also have the most fun while doing so. Most of these characteristics are connected with how the Aliens universe is set up, so the following guidelines are useful for both newbies and Aliens veterans. I suggest reading this section before using the encyclopedia for the first time. Don't worry, I kept the guidelines really simple, and if you are not interested in the reasoning behind the guidelines, you can just read the first paragraph and skip the rest. An exception is the first part about using the encyclopedia, which should be read as a whole. Additionally, I recommend reading at least the first part (in other words: everything but the essay) of the section about conjecture. If you miss something in this book, have trouble finding something or wonder why things are written and organized the way they are, it is always a good idea to come back here. a) Using the encyclopedia: A word about Tags and the Appendices

A typical entry in this encyclopedia is nothing special. It follows the standard pattern of the entry name in bold letters followed by the actual entry. There is, however, one notable exception: Tags. At the end of each entry, you'll find one or more abbreviations in bold letters. They tell you in which movie, novel, comic or video game the entry is referenced. For example, Hudson appears in Aliens, the second movie. Therefore, the “Hudson” entry has the tag A2 attached. Many tags are self-ex- planatory, such as the A2 tag standing for the second Alien movie. Others may confuse you the first time you see them. This is where the first Appendix comes in.

The first Appendix, following the actual encyclopedia, is a reference list, explaining all tags used in the encyclopedia. I tried to make the tags as simple and obvious as possible, so after you have looked up a tag for two, three times at most, you should be able to recognize it while using the encyclopedia without having to rely on the codex anymore. Additionally, the codex is sorted after categories (like movies, comics etc.), thus also serving to give you a handy list of all Alien-related media containing in-universe information.

Additionally, there is a second Appendix consisting of multiple entry lists sorted after specific themes and categories. I recommend to use them as they are useful tools to find your way around the encyclopedia other than relying on the alphabetical sorting. Additionally, they give an overlook over interesting overarching topics, regardless where the relevant entries originate from. For example, you can use the lists to browse through all ships from the Alien universe, no matter if the ship appeared in one of the movies or a video game. b) Regarding the Aliens vs. Predator universe and alternate movie scripts

As a rule of thumb, I included information from the Aliens vs. Predator universe ONLY when it doesn't contradict information from the Aliens universe. Also, the information is restricted to general lore and mostly doesn't include actual plot information from the AvP universe. Likewise, this

6 applies to information from alternate scripts and early drafts.

The Aliens lore is difficult to handle as it is, and Aliens vs. Predator only makes it worse. For example, you won't find anything about the Predator/Alien hybrid from Aliens vs. Predator 2: Requiem, because the hybrid is supposed to be a young queen and is able to impregnate victims with multiple Chestburster embryos via literally regurgitating them into the victim's mouth. We already have a problematic Xenomorph life cycle without AvP, with the dubious canon of the Alien being able to transform victims into eggs as seen in the Director's Cut of the first Alien movie. The hybrid would further complicate things, demanding answers to questions like: “Why does the hybrid behave in this unique way? Is it exclusive to a Predator-based hybrid? Has it something to do with Predator reproduction? But wouldn't that contradict the reproduction method of the Xenomorph, for which we have no evidence to be influenced by species-specific reproduction methods?” This would also force me to incorporate AvP and even Predator lore to a great, possibly complete extent, and I wanted to keep the focus of this encyclopedia solely on the Alien franchise. However, there are still interesting tidbits featured in AvP media which I felt expanded on the Alien lore and therefore, included it, one example being S.E.T.I. still existing in 2229. The same goes for lore unique to alternate scripts (most of them written for Alien³) and early drafts like the Jon Spaihts script for Prometheus aka Alien: Engineers. For instance, I included general information about the Union of Progressive People, an element present in the game Aliens: Infestation which originates from the alternate Alien³ script by William Gibson. However, I omitted information from the plot involving the UPP that contradict Alien³ as we know it or other lore. c) The writing perspective

This encyclopedia is written from an in-universe perspective, meaning that entries are written as if they really happened or they really exist. Therefore, no entries regarding or references to the movies, comics, novels etc. themselves, their creation or the persons involved exist. Information originating from behind-the-scenes material is incorporated in in-universe form.

To see what I mean, compare the Wikipedia entry for “Xenomorph (Alien)”, more specifically the section about the Newborn:

In Alien Resurrection, due to significant genetic tampering in an attempt to recover DNA from the deceased Ellen Ripley and the Alien Queen within her, the resulting cloned Aliens show a number of minor human traits.1

This quote references the real-life movie instead of solely the events that happened inside the Alien universe. The plot of the movie Alien Resurrection is present in this encyclopedia as its in-universe counterpart, the Auriga incident. Compared to Wikipedia taking a real-life approach, this encyclopedia is like, for example, an encyclopedia about dinosaurs – creatures which really existed, a fact which is reflected in its writing.

I chose this approach for several reasons:

• Reason 1: Precedents. Most prominent are the non-fiction works covering the Star Wars universe, which are often written in-universe. An example are the Essential Guides. It even has an Aliens precedent in the form of the Colonial Marines Technical Manual. It seemed a logical thing to do it for this encyclopedia, too.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenomorph_%28Alien%29 (document version as of October 7, 2011)

7 • Reason 2: To separate and define the purpose of this book. You won't find any entries about real-life content related to the Alien franchise. This is not “The Making of the Alien universe”, as it is not supposed to be a making-of book. So, instead of making things blurry by including real-life perspectives in the context of an in-universe topic, things are clear-cut here. A mixed approach may work for a Wikipedia entry, aimed to be a single, isolated document about a topic, to be complete (meaning covering both lore and behind-the-scenes aspects) and accessible to people who may have never heard about the Alien franchise and just want to know who the heck Ellen Ripley is. But this is about the fictional Alien universe, and only the fictional Alien universe.

• Reason 3: To sidestep continuity issues for the sake of being consistent. The best example for this would be, again, the “Alternate Xenomorph life cycle” depicted in the Director's Cut of Alien. The thing is that this life cycle at least potentially removes the need for a queen in the life cycle. So instead of admitting that I have two conflicting canon sources or having to skip this information entirely, I incorporated it as “unconfirmed reports.” This way, the encyclopedia can acknowledge the possibility without taking sides, saying “yes, it does exist” (therefore possibly creating a contradiction) or saying “no, it does not exist” (omitting interesting information). However, there are two special cases in which we have two versions of the same source directly contradicting each other, which I will cover in the following section.

There are other minor reasons such as to make the reading experience more involving. d) Alternate versions of Alien³ and the 1988 Aliens comics

This encyclopedia regards the expanded Assembly Cut of Alien³ as canon, with the exception of regarding the Xenomorph seen in the movie to be born from a dog as shown in the Theatrical Cut. The encyclopedia also regards the revised version of the 1988 “Earth War” comic storyline as canon to avoid conflicts with Alien³.

The Assembly Cut of Alien³ as featured on the Quadrilogy DVD set and the BluRay release restores much of the cut footage and incorporates back into the storyline of the film, expanding it with about half an hour of additional scenes. There are also alternate scenes featured, but they don't pose any continuity problems, as it is, for example, basically irrelevant whether Ripley is found inside the EEV or washed upon the shore. There is, however, one major exception: Whereas in the Theatrical Cut, the Xenomorph is born from a dog, the Assembly Cut instead shows it being born out of an ox. Thus, this creates an irreconcilable discrepancy where I have no choice but to take sides. I decided to go for the “dog birth” as it seems implausible for a Drone to be this small when originating from an ox. Consider that the Alien³ Xenomorph is no larger than the human-bred Drones we have seen in other cases, possibly even a little bit smaller. Considering the DNA Reflex, a Drone from an ox, an animal which has far more body mass than a human and is also larger, would have to be significantly larger than a “human” Drone. Another case of “irreconcilable differences” is the “Earth War” storyline as shown in the early Dark Horse comics. Released in 1988, way before Alien³ would be made, the comics were intended to be a sequel to Aliens, showing the further adventures of Hicks, Newt and later, Ripley. In 1991, Alien³ threw a monkey wrench in the continuity by killing off Hicks and Newt before they even had the chance to wake from hypersleep. Reissues of the “Earth War” comics kinda fixed this by renaming Hicks and Newt to Wilks and Billie, turning them into new characters, and making Ripley an an-

8 droid. The encyclopedia reflects the “Earth War” storyline as shown in the reissue. I realize the reissue fix was a “bend over backwards” in the first place, but it is the only way to incorporate the pivotal events of the comics without screwing up the continuity. e) Conjecture

Be aware that this encyclopedia includes great amounts of conjecture. This might seem odd because, after all, an encyclopedia should be concerned with conveying hard facts and nothing else. For the reasoning behind this, please read the whole section. For the sake of making it easier for you to get into the Alien Encyclopedia, I'll give you the minimum of the necessary information in the next paragraph. However, I strongly suggest you read the entire section at some point because this is important to understand a vital part of the encyclopedia's purpose.

For the Alien Encyclopedia, the term “conjecture” is laid out in broad terms. This means that everything that is not directly established as lore by the primary literature and media is considered conjecture. To be more specific: Everything that has to be deduced by examining official lore is considered conjecture, even if this means something as simple and superficial as taking a statement like “taking place fifteen years after the first Alien movie” and extrapolating the year 2137 as the date of the events. To keep it simple and enable you to discern between information directly provided by official canon and conjecture, you can rely on the following rule:

Everything that is conjecture will be marked by a commentary field at the end of the entry which identifies which information in the entry is conjecture. These elements are solely my own assumptions and does not directly reflect official lore.

However, there are more complex and potentially controversial cases of conjecture in the Alien Encyclopedia. The reasoning behind these cases is this: This project is not aimed at solely providing a collection of in-universe data. When I started the encyclopedia, I also had a second goal in mind, namely to arrange the in-universe data so the result would be a complete depiction of Alien lore free of contradictions. This mainly amounts to establishing a single consistent timeline, but is not limited to it. Therefore, I do extensive research to track down hints which enable me to make reasonable assumptions about dates and events. The following is a small essay that illustrates my approach based on an example.

The two missions of the USS Sephora: Conjecture in the Alien Encyclopedia

We know that the fate of the Sulaco was something that was not addressed in the Alien movies. This changed when the Nintendo DS game Aliens: Infestation was released in 2011. In the game, the Sulaco is located by the Colonial Marines who send a contingent of soldiers to investigate. The ship that transports the marines to the Sulaco and serves as a base of operations is a sister ship of the Sulaco, the USS Sephora. The plot of the game takes place six weeks after the movie Aliens. At the end of the game, the Sulaco is damaged by an explosion and left drifting in space while the Sephora retreats from the scene. Now, the game was marketed as a side story to a bigger game project which would be released in 2013, namely Aliens: Colonial Marines. In this game, the USS Sephora carries marines to investigate the Sulaco, which has been located by the Colonial Marines. However, this story takes place 17 weeks after the movie Aliens, features an entirely different cast of characters (including a new commanding officer) and contains not a single reference to an earlier mission of Sephora to the

9 Sulaco. In this game, both the Sulaco and the Sephora are destroyed early during the story campaign. Aliens: Colonial Marines is also explicitly sanctioned as official canon while such a statement had never been made about Aliens: Infestation. Several questions arise: What is the official story? Is only Colonial Marines official canon because of its status as being sanctioned by Fox as such? And if not, how in Earth's name can the two missions be reconciled into one cohesive timeline? Is there a case of mass amnesia among the marines in Colonial Marines which made them forget about the events of Infestation? Why would the USCM headquarters send the same ship twice, with the bonus question of why the corps seemingly exchanged the entire crew? The easy solution (which has also been adopted by some sources) would be to say that Infestation has never happened and declare the story as an alternate version of the official story in Colonial Marines. The whole problem of reconciling the two stories would disappear. But I tried to do it anyways. To be blunt: My conjecture is that both stories have happened, and I have good reasons for it. The basic idea is as follows: There WAS a first mission of the Sephora, but it was covered up due to the questionable nature of the actions by the marines involved and powerful influence exerted by Weyland-Yutani and its allies within the USCM corps. And there are hints that make this interpretation work. First, at one point, the Sephora's CO, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Steele uncovers Weyland-Yutani and its allies working behind the scenes: He says: “I have been doing some research into this Xenomorph situation.[...]It seems that the Weyland-Yutani corporation and its military backers have a keen interest in these creatures[...]But not in destroying them... Rather using them as bio-weapons[...]” He then decides to go rogue to stop the corporation: “It's off the books, completely black. If we are caught it could mean hanging at Camp Orrinpaul.” Weyland- Yutani is shown to have a great influence on the USCM, even managing to take over the Sulaco under the pretense of contract work. Later, Company representative Sean Davis even tries to pull rank on the marines by stating that the Xenomorph cargo is basically military property: “[...]that cargo is technically Weyland-Yutani property, who is, as you know [sic] a military contractor, which means you would actually be destroying UAAC property, which I don't think, under the circumstances, is the best career move you could make at this time...” There are more quotes supporting my conjecture, but I will stop here. So, we have enough circumstantial evidence for both the influence of Weyland-Yutani over the Colonial Marines and, despite doing the right thing, the treason the marines on the Sephora commit by working against Weyland-Yutani's interests. We don't KNOW what happens to the Sephora's crew after the game ends, but under the circumstances, there are enough indicators to support my conjecture. A probable outcome MIGHT indeed have been that the Company managed to silence everyone in the knowledge about its hand in the mission. Under the pressure, the USCM corps MIGHT have been forced to incarcerate or execute the first crew of the Sephora. So, we explained how the Sephora crew in Colonial Marines is an entirely different one and also oblivious of the Sephora's first mission. But why is there a second mission of the Sephora? Well, the USCM corps MIGHT have been tired of being pushed around by Weyland-Yutani. Maybe, even some heads rolled on the highest echelons. And Hicks' distress call (which, as Stasis Interrupted reveals, was not sent immediately after the events of Aliens, but much later) MIGHT have been a message that the Colonial Marines could not ignore in good conscience, Wey-Yu's influence over the USCM be damned. So, the corps sends another contingent, and the reason why it is Sephora they're sending MIGHT be to send a message to Weyland-Yutani that they have been pushed too far and that, now, the USCM pushes back. So here we have a working solution how the two stories MIGHT be reconciled, and I used it for the

10 Alien Encyclopedia. Again, make no mistake: This is purely my conjecture how things might have worked, and I marked it as such. I'm not trying to rewrite Alien history. I'm merely offering a possible solution. If you're so inclined, read this as a case study for the power of the “might” (no pun intended).

11 3. The A-Z

*** 0-9 ***

096-9011-D: A backdoor signal Spears had installed into the mainframe of Third Base. The D stands for “delta”. During the Spears incident in 2193, Spears had to temporarily leave Third Base to follow up on a group of his marines gone AWOL. Indulging his deep-seated paranoia, Spears checked this backdoor signal before returning to Third Base. The system worked, and the signal tipped him off about the mutiny in-progress at the home base. (A:B2 - NA)

4-M-79: A program version of the Quiet Eye software developed by the Yutani Corporation. Yutani used this version to spy on Elizabeth Shaw's video requests to Sir Peter Weyland to fund an expedition to LV-223 in 2079. (PR)

88 Mod4 Combat Pistol: A pistol model manufactured by Weyland-Yutani. Was used as a sidearm by Wey-Yu PMCs during the Origin incident in 2179. The 88 Mod4 was a particularly light and durable pistol, thanks to being constructed from nano- bound hard-impact plastic and a number of additional synthetic compounds. Featured a semi- automatic firing mode and was loaded with 18-round clips. (A:CMVG)

302: The number designated to the military cargo drone American. (A:B1 – O)

405A: The designation of an APC deployed on the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in late 2179. (A:CMVG)

2167: The code to the escape hatch aboard the USCSS Prometheus during the LV-223 incident in 2093. (PR:VER)

64133: The password Elizabeth Shaw used to log into her video communications account in 2079 in order to contact Sir Peter Weyland to request funding for an expedition to LV-223. (PR)

130748: The call sign of the USCSS Prometheus. (PR, PR:VER)

342544-A, Revision II: A regulation by MILCOM enacted in the late 22nd century. Details the penalties for illegal access to high-level documents such as ones requiring A-1/a clearance. A notable example where the regulation applies is “Theory of Alien Propagation” by Dr. Waidslaw Orona. (A:B1 – O)

2092057: The user name Elizabeth Shaw used to log into her video communication account in 2079 in order to contact Sir Peter Weyland to request funding for an expedition to LV-223. (PR)

8,128,899: The number of a patent regarding the use of cybernetic individuals for scientific and industrial application. The patent was claimed on August 5, 2023, by Weyland Industries. (PR:WIW)

9,158,239: The number of a patent regarding an advanced polyurethane compound that could be used to replicate human skin. It was a discovery vital for creating a lifelike android. Weyland Industries claimed the patent on March 22, 2026. (PR:WIW)

12 10,445,075: The number of a patent regarding the Auto-Adjust Crosshair. Weyland Industries claimed this patent on June 3, 2026

11,280,599: The number of a patent regarding the Atmosphere Processor technology. Weyland Industries registered this patent on August 9, 2029. (PR:WIW)

12,004,556: The number of a patent regarding the Hypersleep Chamber concept. Weyland Indus- tries claimed the patent on July 27, 2030. (PR:WIW)

13,345,075: The number for a patent regarding an auto-compensation feature for the Weyland Storm Rifle. Weyland Industries claimed the patent on May 2, 2039. (PR:WIW)

14,524,002: The number of a patent regarding the ATV NR6, mankind's first manned ground vehicle capable of traversing vertical surfaces. Weyland Industries claimed the patent for this vehicle on February 14, 2052. (PR:WIW)

15,725,924: The number of a patent regarding the Powerloader concept. Weyland Industries claimed this patent on January 29, 2056. (PR:WIW)

15,999,127: The number of a patent regarding the Lifeboat concept. Weyland Industries claimed it on May 6, 2057. (PR:WIW)

16,572,092: The number of a patent regarding the Medpod 720i, the first commercially available Medpod developed by Weyland Industries. The patent was claimed by the company on September 1, 2061. (PR:WIW) 17,900,353: The number of a patent regarding the Spectagraph concept. The patent was claimed by Weyland Industries on December 1, 2063. (PR:WIW)

18,364,003: The number of a patent regarding the Synapse Reestablisher concept. Weyland Indus- tries claimed the patent on August 16, 2071. (PR:WIW)

*** A ***

A-1/a: A high-level clearance used by the human military in the late 22nd century. Used to restrict document access to high-ranking personnel. Violation has severe penalties, such as Full Brain Re- construction, a fee of up to 100,000 credits and/or a prison sentence of up to 25 years. Dr. Waidslaw Orona's landmark study on the Xenomorph, “Theory of Alien Propagation”, is a notable example of a document requiring a A-1/a clearance. (A:B1 – O)

A-2: The airlock aboard the Benedict Stephens used to dispose of Easley during the mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

A19 High Velocity Rounds: An alternate ammunition type featuring propellent-assisted rounds that travel at an increased velocity and add additional damage. Used by USCM snipers, compatible weapons include the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

A27 High Velocity Rounds: An alternate ammunition for small firearms that consists of propellent- accelerated rounds that increase velocity, resulting in higher damage. Compatible weapons include the M4A3 Service Pistol. (A:CMVG)

13 Aaron (Fiorina 161): A male human serving as the assistant of Superintendent Andrews at the penal colony on Fiorina 161 during the Fury 16 incident in 2179. Nicknamed “85” by the prisoners, referring to his rather low IQ. Was married and had children. Aaron shared Andrews' believe in a tight leadership and tried to help enacting his decisions during the first stages of the Fury 16 incident. This often brought him in conflict with the prisoners, especially Morse. These conflicts became more tense after Andrews' death and the escape of the Xenomorph from the vault, for which he blamed Morse. Aaron also helped Ripley operating the medical scanner inside the crashed EEV and was the first to know of the Queen embryo gestating inside Ripley. However, when Ripley, knowing that the Weyland-Yutani party inbound for Fiorina 161 would do anything to secure a Xenomorph specimen, wanted to send the team away, Aaron refused to provide access to the terminal, thinking that it would be suicidal to reject the only armed reinforcements they had at their disposal. But when the rescue party replied to the warning about the Xenomorph infestation with orders to stay away from the creature, Aaron began to have second thoughts. He did not participate in the attempt of the prisoners to lure the Alien into the blast furnace and instead stayed at his office and eventually received the Weyland-Yutani team at the entrance to the facility to lead them to the furnace. During the final confrontation between Michael Bishop and Ripley, Aaron attacked Bishop with a steel pipe, only to be gunned down by the accompanying soldiers. (A3)

Aaron (Hadley's Hope): A male human child and one of the colonists involved in the Xenomorph outbreak at Hadley's Hope in 2179. After arriving at Hadley's Hope with his parents, Aaron made friends with Rebecca and Timothy Jorden. One day after Russ Jorden had been brought in with a Facehugger on his face, Aaron over- heard his parents talking about the fact that Russ had woken up. He quickly went to Timothy and Newt, asking them to come with him to the medbay where Russ was, and after a short argument where Newt pointed out that her mom had ordered them to stay inside the compound, Aaron and Timothy convinced her to join them. Using the vents to spy on Rebecca's parents in the medbay, the siblings were horrified to witness Russ giving birth to a Chestburster. Aaron later died with most of the other colonists during the Xenomorph outbreak. (A:NT)

Aaron (Weyland-Yutani): A Weyland-Yutani employee involved in the construction of the Origin facility on LV-426 in 2179. Aaron was displeased when site foreman Joshua Morris informed him that constructing an underground passage for transporting cargo between the landing pad and the research modules was impossible due to the presence of a Xenomorph hive in the area. (A:CMVG_SI)

Acheron: One of the five rivers of the underworld in Greek mythology and a nickname for LV-426, established during the 57 years of Ripley's hypersleep. This nickname is also referenced in the scientific name of the Xenomorph species, “linguafoeda Acheronsis”. (A2)

Acidalia Desert: Another name for Acidalia Planitia, a plain on Mars. While Mars had been colonized since the 21st century, the Acidalia desert was still unpopulated by the year 2179. During the Sulaco incident in this year, USCM officer Patrick Steele chose the Acidalia Desert as the impact point used for crashing the Xenomorph-infested Sulaco. However, the impact was prevented by an override issued by Weyland-Yutani representative Sean Davis. (A:INF)

Aeruginosus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in green highlights on its skin. (A:CMVG)

14 Agility Assessment: A test of the Project Prometheus Training Program. Had the designation A1. The first of five tests in total and of two tests evaluating the physical capabilities of an applicant, Agility Assessment consisted of a basic obstacle course where the participant had to run at high speed while dodging numerous objects.

Aires: The proper name given to the planet POL-5362 upon its discovery in 2071. (PR:WIW)

Aires Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-1876.01. Established in 2069 and sporting a population of 400,000 by 2071, the colony quickly became a major hub for ore transportation. Industrial sectors included refining, energy and light manufacturing. Key resources were cerium, tungsten and neodymium. (PR:WIW)

Air Pod: A small hover platform designed for use by a single person. Powered by flywheel batteries. Mainly designed for transportation, the Air Pod lacked weaponry and only included basic sensor gear, consisting of radar and Doppler devices. In 2192, the mercenaries of the Bionational intercept used Air Pods on the Xenomorph Homeworld to herd the Benedict's marines into the hive structure. (A:B1 – O)

Alfeche, J.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

Alien: A colloquial term for extra-terrestrial lifeforms. Often used as a synonym for “Xenomorph”.

Alienator: The nickname for the missile weapon system of the ATAX Combat Exosuit. (KAF)

Amazon Preserve: An area of the Amazon rain forest sealed off by high containment fields to preserve a portion of the ecosystem. Almost 20 square kilometers in size. In the late 22nd century, Patrick Massey spent a vacation in the Amazon Preserve, during which he inserted a small C9 charge originally injected inside him into a Bionational agent tracking him. (A:B1 – O)

American: A semi-automated cargo vessel of the human military. Designated number 302. Notable for being the vessel which Billie, Wilks and Bueller used to escape the Alien-infested Earth in 2193 after returning from the failed Benedict mission.

1. Description

The American was equipped with a Gravity Drive, hypersleep chambers and a provisional artificial gravity generator. The internal layout centered around a main corridor, from which the cargo bays and the flight deck were accessed. There also was a starboard navigation access protected by a 65- digit and a 40-number code. The shuts to the cargo bays were reinforced by a thick layer of duralloy and fitted with a code lock. The outer hull armor was adequate for a civilian vessel, consisting of heat tiles and hydraulic sheathing to protect the ship from the elements. Originally, the ship was not designed for human input, relegating the systems to the necessary emergency backups retrofitted into the cramped interior space. The security cam system was a cheap Campbodian model. Comm systems were restricted to a long-range receiver. Other, more advanced systems, like an internal comm system, motion sensors and infrared, were missing entirely, as was any kind of option to observe the exterior of the ship. A Zap Field and 6-wheeled battery-powered cleaning dumbots kept the ship clean.

15 2. History

Stationed at a military outpost near Galveston, Texas, the American was one of the last vessels slated for evacuation during the Earth War in 2193. Secretly carrying impregnated humans for use in General Spears' special project, the ship was hijacked by Wilks, Billie and Bueller in order to escape from the Xenomorph-infested Earth. After the departure, Wilks and Billie entered cryosleep, and the ship accelerated to FTL. A week later, the American arrived at its preprogrammed destination system and slowed to down to normal speed. The stowaways awoke and took up a daily routine. Unbeknownst to them, the Xenomorphs had hatched and, presumably due to damage inflicted on the cargo tubes during takeoff, escaped. After reaching full maturity, three of the creatures killed the fourth one and used the acid spill to reach other sections of the ship. Eventually, Billie had a Xenomorph-related dream and alerted Wilks of the danger. In one of the cargo bays, the two discovered the damage. Just as Wilks started to hurry back to flight deck in order to seal the cargo bay, a Xenomorph appeared and attacked him. Wilks managed to kill it, but the resulting acid spray opened the section to vacuum. Both Wilks and Billie escaped in time, though the former was injured by the decompression. Using cleaning bots rigged with small cameras, Wilks, Billie and Bueller managed to track down the remaining two creatures in the aft cargo bay and eject them into space. However, the Drones managed to cling to the hull. Using an EVA suit, Billie went outside to investigate and managed to kill the remaining Aliens with Bueller's help. Some time after the incident, the American reached the planetoid where Spears' Third Base was located. The ship landed inside the hangar bay and was unloaded. At Spears' request, the techs also downloaded the ship's logs for investigation of the fight with the Xenomorphs. The final fate of the American is unknown, but it is possible that it was among the ships crippled by Spears when he made his hasty departure during the Spears incident. (A:B1 – O, A:B2 - NA)

Amplite: A light enhancing technology. Also used for military application in the form of night vision goggles. A weakness of Amplite technology is that it can be overloaded by sudden extremely bright light sources, temporarily blinding the user. During the Spears incident in 2193, Spears' soldiers of the First Platoon, A company used Amplites while reconquering the base from the mutineers, efficiently combating attempts to incapacitate them by switching off the lights inside a corridor. Later, Billie and Wilks were captured by marines with Amplite goggles while trying to get access to one of the transports. However, Bueller switched on the floodlights, disorienting the captors long enough for Wilks and Billie to flee. (A:B2 - NA)

Ampule: A storage device manufactured by the Mala'kak race to be used for containing the Black Goo chemical weapon. Provided room for four glass phials filled with the liquid. The Ampule and phials system was designed to provide long-term storage for the Black Goo in a stasis with stable atmospheric and temperature conditions. The system can only provide these conditions if the Am- pules are placed in a network of rows, with the Ampules situated at a distance of 0.9652 meters from each other. The atmospheric seal is fragile and can be broken by displacing or opening a single Ampule, releasing the substance in the process. The only known usage of the Ampule system took place on LV-223 approximately around 0 BC. Ampules were used to store the Black Goo at both a pyramid-like storage facility and a Mala'kak ship in a subterranean hangar connected to the facility. A fatal accident wiped out the staff of the facility, possibly caused by accidentally breaking the seal and releasing the weapon. Over 2,000 years later, a human expedition arriving aboard the science vessel Prometheus discovered the Ampules while exploring the pyramid during the LV-223 incident in 2093. The atmospheric seal was broken

16 by the android David, and the Black Goo was released into the facility. The android subsequently smuggled one Ampule back to the ship for study. (PR)

Amy: A female human and one of the countless individuals fighting for survival on Xenomorph-infested Earth in the 2190s. Born in the 2180s. Still a young girl during the crisis, she formed a group with her mother Mona, her “uncle” Burt and a man named Leroy. Burt chronicled their plight by making a video diary and broadcasting it on the open channels. Later – Amy was in her late pre-teen years – a military installation named Third Base received several broadcasts, where Billie, herself a survivor of a Xenomorph attack, happened to watch two of these recordings during the Spears incident in 2193. The first broadcast showed Amy seeking shelter from a bombardment. Recognizing herself in Amy, Billie became interested in the girl's fate. The second feed she watched recorded an encounter of Amy and Burt with a group of Bug Feeders. While Amy barely escaped, the broadcast was cut off, leaving the girl's fate uncertain. Due to the time the signal needed to travel to Third Base, the date of these events are uncertain, but may lie up to years in the past. A third, recent broadcast Billie later watched from Gateway Station showed Amy alive and well with Burt.

Andrews (Legato colonist): A male human and one of the colonists involved in the Legato incident in 2179. Originally on his way to a colony in the outer rim together with his daughter, Andrews and the other colonists were hijacked by Weyland-Yutani forces and brought to the research vessel Legato. Andrews awoke separated from his daughter to witness a Xenomorph outbreak slowly taking over the ship. During the search for his daughter, Andrews met another colonist named Lisbeth Hutchins, who was looking for her parents. Joining forces with her, Andrews used a terminal in the medlab to locate the bay where the stolen cryotubes were held. Shortly after, a Xenomorph tracked down Andrews and Hutchins inside a locker room. Both of them hid inside the lockers, but while Hutchins was saved by the Xenomorph embryo gestating inside her, the creature sniffed out An- drews and killed him. (A:CMVG_SI)

Andrews, Harold: A male human and the administrator of the Fiorina 161 penal colony by the time the Fury 16 incident took place in 2179. Born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, United Kingdoms on April 2, 2121. In his capacity as Superintendent, Andrews enacted a harsh leadership with the help of his assistant Aaron and regarded the prisoners as dangerous and fanatic. When Ripley arrived on Fiorina 161, Andrews considered her presence to be a potential disturbance of the relatively peaceful status-quo and only allowed Ripley to leave the infirmary in company. Af- ter he had formally informed the prisoners, Andrews proceeded to send a request to Weyland-Yutani to pick up Ripley. When Andrews found out that Clemens had performed an unauthorized autopsy of Rebecca Jorden on Ripley's request, he came into conflict with the doctor and threatened to tell Ripley about his troubled past, should he continue to ignore his orders. After the first prisoners were killed by the Xenomorph, Ripley tried to warn Andrews, who did not believe her story and ordered her confinement to the medical wing, also ignoring Golic's account and having him straitjacketed in the infirmary. Andrews was in the mess hall trying to organize a search party for the missing prisoners Boggs and Raines when he was taken and killed by the Alien in front of the prisoners, making the Xenomorph threat a known fact to the inmates. (A3)

Andrews, William: A male human and one of the colonists at Hadley's Hope on LV-426. Also called Bill.

17 After arriving at Hadley's Hope, Andrews eventually became acquainted with the Russ family. Dur- ing the Xenomorph outbreak in 2179, Andrews learned about the violent death of Russ Jorden. Later, William met Ann Jorden, Russ' wife, as she made her way to the sub-level shelter together with the rest of the colonists. Russ expressed his condolences about Russ and informed her that a scouting party had been sent to locate the Xenomorph nest. Ann, Andrews and the others stopped at a nearby terminal and watched in horror as the creatures massacred the scouting party. With the arrival of the enraged creatures imminent, Andrews urged Ann and her children to hurry to the shelter. Andrews was killed soon after when the Xenomorphs broke into the shelter and decimated the colonists. (A:NT)

Android: A machine constructed to resemble a human in form and function. Mankind's first forays into the creation of a synthetic person took place in the 21st century, with the David line by Weyland Industries considered to be a milestone. Soon, androids were deployed in all sorts of functions throughout human civilization. By the beginning of the 22nd century, androids indistinguishable from humans existed alongside low-rent models with rubber skin constructed for menial tasks, such as the Working Joe model by Seegson. Another milestone in the development was a military project creating androids whose behavior was supposed to be so human-like even they themselves thought they were living beings. Accordingly, the androids themselves were kept in the dark about their true identity. They also represented the pinnacle of android technology at the time. One example of their life-likeness was the hair made of fake protein, which was even able to grow. Eventually, these androids would play a vital role during the Benedict mission in 2192. At this time, the next generation of android already loomed on the horizon, which looked like a human even on the inside, with the only insurmountable hurdle left being the ability to reproduce. Eventually, however, the android industries suffered a major crisis. The remedy was to be the Auton, an android constructed by other androids. However, the Autons had their own will and rebelled against their masters. This led to a purge which eradicated almost every android in existence.

Angie: The abbreviating nickname Philip Philipakos gave his daughter, Angela Philipakos. See *Philipakos, Angela*. (A:OS)

Angkor Colony: A mining and refining colony on the planet KOI-494.01. Established in 2067, it would sport a population of over 2.5 million by the year 2071. Key resources were helium-3, hydrogen and titanium. (PR:WIW)

Annie: A female human and a USCM soldier. Was stationed at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. At the time of these events, Annie was helming the comm station, encountering Billie in the process, who was interested in the civilian broadcasts sporadically coming in from Earth. An- nie later allied herself with Wilks' faction of mutineers.

Antal, J.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Colonel at the time. (A:CMVG)

Antarctic City: A city located on the South Pole on Earth. In the 2190s, the city was the location of a Xenomorph nest purged by Orona's special forces during the beginning of the Earth War. (A:B1 – O)

Anti-Gravity Recovery Chamber: A medical recovery device generating an anti-gravity field inside a room-size environment. A patient placed in such a chamber takes advantage of the accelerated healing process under low gravity conditions, speeding up recovery at a rate of up to 70 per-

18 cent. By the 2070s, Anti-Gravity Recovery Chambers were restricted to large metropolitan areas on Earth. Among the leading manufacturers of such devices at the time was Weyland Industries. (PR:WIW)

AP: The abbreviation for Artificial Person, an alternate term for android. (A:B2 - NA)

APC: The abbreviation for Armored Personnel Carrier. Describing a class of military ground vehicles designed to deploy and transfer troops while also fulfilling limited combat capabilities. An example for an APC is the M577 used by the USCM in the late 22nd century, including the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. During the late 22nd century, the term was extended to airborne vehicles serving the same purpose. (A2, A:CMTM, A:INF, A:CM, A:B1 – O)

Apone, Al: A male human serving in the USCM corps in the capacity of Gunnery Sergeant by 2179. Nicknamed 'Top' by his subordinates. Was the point man of the unit involved in the Hadley's Hope incident. Apone led the foray of the Marines into the colony before he was left behind incapacitated during the Xenomorph ambush inside the colony's hive and presumably impregnated afterward. Details of Apone's exact fate are unknown, but his death his certain, either by giving birth to a Xenomorph or during the destruction of the colony several hours later. Hicks, the B-Team leader, rose to the position of commander to replace Apone after the ambush. (A2)

Apta: The proper name of the planet POL-3191 CC, given upon its discovery in 2071. (PR:WIW)

Arachnid Alien: A Xenomorph bred from an unknown arachnid creature. This unique breed had an additional set of pincer-like appendages, no tail and was able to spray a toxic liquid from its mouth. (KAF)

Archimedes Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-1404.01. Established in 2069, Archimedes Colony would sport a population of 20,000 two years later. The colony's industry focused on mining, exploiting the planet's rich lithium deposits. Another key resource was chromite. (PR:WIW)

Arcturian Police Action: A conflict famous for having been decided by specific weather conditions. (A:B2 - NA)

Arethan Crater Pox: A disease that caused severe scarring on the face of the infected person. A cargo hauler nicknamed Pox Face was afflicted with the disease. (A:OS)

Armat: A weapons manufacturer. Famous for being the creators of the iconic M41A Pulse Rifle, which was followed up by the Mark 2 upgrade. Also supplied the USCM corps with numerous other weapon models, including the M4RA Battle Rifle, the M39 Sub Machine Gun, the M37A2 Pump Shotgun and the standard sidearm for USCM marines, the M4A3 Service Pistol. Besides its regular arsenal, Armat also manufactured a range of advanced prototype weapons, such as the P9 S.H.A.R.P. Rifle and the XM-99A Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle. (CMTM)

Armat A4 Stabilizing Stock: A lightweight, adjustable weapons stock for sub-machine guns manufactured by Armat. Provides additional accuracy over prolonged firing by dampening recoil. Com- patible weapons include the M38 Sub-machine Gun. (A:CMVG)

19 Armat A7 Sound Suppressor: A sound suppressor attachment for small firearms designed by Ar- mat. Reduces the volume of shots fired by slowing down propellent gases. Compatible firearms include the M4A3 Service Pistol. (A:CMVG)

Armat A9 Sound Suppressor: A sound suppressor attachment manufactured by Armat. Lowers the volume of shots fired by reducing the speed of propellent gases. Compatible weapons are the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle and the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

Armat A14 Barrel Extension: A weapons attachment manufactured by Armat that equips the weapon with a lengthened metal-alloy barrel that adds greater long-range accuracy by increasing bullet spin. Compatible weapons include the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

Armat B3 Barrel Choke Tube: A barrel extension designed by Armat for the M37A2 Pump Shot- gun. Reduces spread by using the ported, heat-treaded choke to streamline gas release. (A:CMVG)

Armat B15 Timed Explosive: An alternate ammunition type for shotguns developed by Armat. Fires highly explosive fragmentation shells with a delayed detonation fuse. Compatible weapons include the M37A2 Pump Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

Armat C8 Custom Loading Port: A weapons upgrade designed by Armat. Consists of a beveled loading gate and a boring of the shell port, significantly reducing loading time. Compatible weapons include the M37A2 Pump Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

Armat High Capacity Magazine: A magazine upgrade developed by Armat for sub-machine guns, increasing the ammo capacity by 24 rounds to a total of 72 at minimal additional weight. Compati- ble weapons include the M38 Sub-machine Gun. (A:CMVG)

Armat Laser Targeting System: A laser targeting system attachment developed by Armat that adds a side-mounted LED laser synchronized with the bullet trajectory for maximum targeting efficiency. Compatible weapons are the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle, the M39 Sub-machine Gun, the M37A2 Pump Shotgun and the M4A3 Service Pistol. (A:CMVG)

Armat Magazine Accelerator: A weapons upgrade manufactured by Armat that significantly increases the rate of fire by using an improved ammo feeding mechanism. Compatible weapons include the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle and the M39 Sub-machine Gun. (A:CMVG)

Armat M37A2 Stock Iron Sight: The standard iron sight for the M37A2 Pump Shotgun. Manufac- tured by Armat. Is designed to keep sight obstruction at a minimum. (A:CMVG)

Armat M39 Stock Iron Sight: The standard iron sight for the M39 Sub-machine Gun. Manufac- tured by Armat. Is designed as a collapsible ghost sight in order to keep sight obstruction at a minimum. (A:CMVG)

Armat M41A Stock Iron Sight: An iron sight for the M41A Pulse Rifle series manufactured by Armat. Is designed as a collapsible ghost ring sight in order to keep sight obstruction at a minimum. (A:CMVG)

Armat M4A3 Stock Iron Sight: The standard iron sight for the M4A3 Service Pistol. Manufac- tured by Armat. Is designed to keep sight obstruction at a minimum. (A:CMVG)

20 Armat M5 Extended Magazine: A magazine upgrade designed by Armat for the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle. Increases ammo capacity by 20 rounds to a maximum of 60 at no additional weight. (A:CMVG)

Armat Prox-Mine Launcher: A secondary firing attachment manufactured by Armat that adds an anti-personnel proximity mine launcher. Projectiles consist of thermite charges that explode on impact or when an enemy approaches the mine. Compatible weapons include the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

Armat R1 Flechette Rounds: An alternative ammunition for shotguns developed by Armat. Con- sists of pointed steel darts with an arrowed shape to minimize spread. Compatible weapons include the M37A2 Pump Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

Armat S4 2x Telescopic Sight: A telescopic sight attachment manufactured by Armat that equips the weapon with a 2-times magnification scope featuring a wedge targeting reticule. Standard issue for the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

Armat S6 Reflex Sight: A zero-magnification reflex sight attachment manufactured by Armat. Re- places the standard iron sight with a holographic red dot, allowing more precise targeting. Compati- ble weapons are the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle and the M39 Sub-machine Gun. (A:CMVG)

Armat S7 Alloy Iron Sights: A weight-decreasing iron sight upgrade developed by Armat. Com- patible weapons include the M37A2 Pump Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

Armat S11 Expanding Shot: An alternate anti-personnel ammunition developed by Armat that consists of shells with mushroom-shaped shots that expand on impact with organic material. Com- patible weapons include the M37A2 Pump Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

Armat S11 Variable Zoom Sight: A sight attachment developed by Armat that equips the weapon with a targeting scope featuring customizable zoom settings of either 2-times or 4-times magnification. Compatible weapons include the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

Armat Smart Targeting Scope: An advanced targeting scope manufactured by Armat. Based on Smart Gun technology, the scope features an infrared targeting system that identifies and displays targets over a maximum distance of 100 meters. Compatible weapons include the M4RA Battle Ri- fle. (A:CMVG)

Armat U1 Grenade Launcher Attachment: An attachment manufactured by Armat that equips a weapon with a pump-action grenade launcher as a secondary firing option. The U1 fires gas-propelled fragmentation projectiles consisting of composition B 15 and metal fragments. Compatible weapons include the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle and the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

Armat U4 Firebomb Launcher: A secondary firing attachment manufactured by Armat that adds an under-slung firebomb launcher. Projectiles consist of Napalm B-based accelerants that create chemical fires of up to 1200 degree Celsius, spreading wide on impact to immolate multiple targets with a single shot. Compatible weapons include the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle. (A:CMVG)

21 Armat U7 Tactical Shotgun Attachment: A secondary firing attachment manufactured by Armat that adds a medium-capacity 12-gauge shotgun with pump-action loading. Compatible weapons are the M41A1 Mk2 Pulse Rifle and the M4RA Battle Rifle. (A:CMVG)

Arthur: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident in 2179. Arthur was killed by Golic when he was standing guard at the vault where the captured Xenomorph was held. (A3)

Artificial Person: A alternate term for androids. Abbreviated as AP.

Artificial Womb: A breeding program active in the first half of the 22nd century. The children created by the Artificial Womb program gestated inside an artificial breeder and were born without any involvement of a biological mother. A major sponsor of the program was the military, and the first successful “births” of Artificial Womb babies occurred at a military installation. This first group consisted of nine children, among them Thomas Spears and Jerico Ax. All of them would grow up to enter military service, except for Jerico Ax, who was killed by Spears. The official documents describe Ax's death as an accident, meaning that the truth was either not discovered or covered up. (A:B2 - NA)

Ash: A male-type android science officer serving aboard the Nostromo during the events of the Nostromo incident. Had the ID number 111/C2/01X. Pragmatic and cold, but gifted with scientific curiosity.

1. Science officer aboard the Nostromo

Nothing is known about Ash's life before the incident, and he joined the crew only shortly before the Nostromo would leave Thedus for Earth on June 12, 2121. Halfway en-route and about a full year later, the Nostromo received the Spacey Jockey signal emanating from LV-426 and was pulled out of hyperspace. The crew went on to investigate the signal, and when the search party returned to the landed ship with a Facehugger attached to Kane's face, it was Ash who allowed them back in against Ripley's objections concerning proper decontamination. During Kane's impregnation, Ash observed the process and was responsible for Kane's medical treatment and preliminary research on the alien organism. It was not until the Xenomorph had already killed half the crew that Ripley discovered the science officer's true motivations.

2. Revelations

Ash made an unsuccessful attempt on Ripley's life after she had learned of Weyland-Yutani's intention to capture the Xenomorph and, if necessary, sacrifice the Nostromo's crew in the process. When Parker and Lambert subdued Ash, he was revealed to be a Hyperdyne Systems 120-A/2 android. On Ripley's orders, Parker reactivated his remains, and during the interrogation that followed, the android disclosed that Weyland-Yutani had known of the Xenomorph from the beginning and that he was introduced into the crew to protect and secure the specimen. What was left of Ash was incinerated by Parker after the interrogation. (A1)

Ashley, T.: One of the marines of the USS Sephora involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Corporal at the time. During the incident, Ashley successfully planted explosive charges around a Xenomorph nest, but was surprised by guarding Xenomorphs. Ashley did not re-

22 treat, but killed himself by detonating a grenade, presumably also obliterating the Xenomorph guards in the explosion. (A:CMVG)

Asian Conflict: A series of military engagements during the first half of the 21st century. (PR:WIW)

ATAX: Abbreviation for Alien Tactical Advantage Explorer. The ATAX is an advanced one-person Combat Exoskeleton disguised as a Xenomorph that is used to infiltrate a Xenomorph hive and kill the Queen in a surgical strike. The helmet portion of the ATAX is equipped with a Virtual Reality frequency and armed with a missile system nicknamed the “Alienator”. Kinetic features include a pincer and an arm module powerful enough to ram its opponent. Success ratios of ATAX operation have been high, with a considerably lower casualty rate than standard ground and air assaults. (KAF)

Atkins: A male human and a USCM soldier. Was stationed at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. While exploring the base, Wilks encountered Atkins guarding the artificial hive with another marine. (A:B2 - NA)

Atlas City: A colony on the planet KOI-314.02. Established in 2059, Atlas City would house almost 9 million colonists by the year 2071. Its industry focused on light and heavy manufacturing and mining and refining, the latter exploiting the planet's considerable helium-3 resources. Another key resource was niobium. (PR:WIW)

Atmosphere Processor: A machine used to transform the atmosphere of a world into a composition breathable for humans. Such a processor is a vital part of the terraforming process used to render inhospitable worlds into environments able to sustain human life. The transformation process basically consists of drawing in the atmosphere, splitting it up into its basic atomic components and releasing the breathable elements while discarding the non-breathable elements as waste products or storing them for use as fuel, industrial cleaning supplies or as raw materials for manufacturing. When the transformation of the atmosphere is complete, the processor continues to monitor the planet's atmosphere and to sustain its composition. Atmosphere Processors are massive structures, and, depending on the initial atmosphere, several of them have to be installed on a world's surface in order to produce results within a reasonable amount of time.

1. Development

The general concept of an Atmosphere Processor received its first practical application when Wey- land Industries installed a prototype at the polar ice cap to reverse the effect of global warming on Earth. On August 9, 2029, Weyland Industries registered the Atmosphere Processor technology under the patent number 11,280,599. The first successful transformation of an extraterrestrial atmosphere was completed on May 28, 2039 on the planet GJ 667Cc. During the following decades, the technology for terraforming and space travel became advanced enough to make colonization of distant worlds possible, and Atmosphere Processors were installed on a number of worlds, with the terraforming process time span between 5 and 20 years depending on the local conditions and at an average of 8 years by the second half of the 21st century.

23 2. Deployment on LV-426

A notable example of the deployment of Atmosphere Processors was LV-426. By the middle of the 22nd century, about 30 Atmosphere Processors were installed all over the planetoid and managed to create a breathable atmosphere within two decades, although by the time of the Hadley's Hope incident on LV-426 in 2179, the actual terraforming process was not yet completed. Looking like huge artificial volcanoes and spanning a height of 1,500 meters, these processors were partially financed and constructed by Weyland-Yutani.

3. Role during the Hadley's Hope incident

One of these Atmosphere Processors, which was located adjacent to the Hadley's Hope colony, played a major role during the Xenomorph infestation of the colony in 2179. When the organism overran the colony, it set up a hive on Sub-Level 3 of the processor. There may have been several reasons why this location was chosen, whether it was because it provided a climate of dry heat where these creatures could thrive or because it placed them in a position where it would be virtually impossible to destroy them without critically damaging the processor. While the latter possibility may attribute an unlikely level of abstract intelligence to the Xenomorph, this was what happened when the recon mission sent to investigate the communication breakdown with Hadley's Hope was exploring Sub-Level 3 following the discovery of the missing colonists' PDT signals emanating from the Atmospheric Processor. The Marines were ambushed inside the hive, and during the ensuing firefight, the cooling system of the fusion reactor was ruptured, setting off a fatal chain reaction which eventually caused the processor to explode with the blasting power of 15 megatons, seemingly taking Hadley's Hope and everything else within a radius of 30 kilometers with it.

4. Rediscovery during the Origin incident

During the Origin incident in late 2179, USCM survivors from the Sephora crash-landed near the ruins of the Atmosphere Processor and set up camp in the adjacent Hadley's Hope colony, which, though severely damaged, had escaped total destruction. While traversing the sewers of the installation, USCM marines Winter and O'Neal discovered that the radiation fallout of the Atmosphere Pro- cessor's explosion had contaminated the area, causing the remaining original Xenomorphs to mutate into a degenerated form classified as Boilers. (A2, A:CMTM)

Atmospheric Pressurizer: A device used to create an environment on a colony world that corre- sponds to pressure conditions suitable for humans. Thus, colonists are able to avoid tedious decompression treatments and medical care. Weyland Industries sold the Atmospheric Pressurizer in an exclusive bundle with its Atmosphere Processors during the 21st century. (PR:WIW)

Atropureus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in violet and green highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

ATV NR6: A four-threaded, two-person ground vehicle developed by Weyland Industries. Able to carry a limited payload, the ATV NR6 was the first of its kind able to traverse nearly vertical surfaces. The vehicle was capable of traveling at speeds of up to 88 miles per hour under normal pressure and gravitation. The ATV NR6 featured variable-friction axes for both front and rear threads, increasing security and mobility on a variety of terrain conditions. Weyland first claimed the patent for this vehicle on February 11, 2052. Later, several ATV NR6 vehicles were used during the LV- 223 incident in 2093. (PR:WIW)

24 Aureus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in golden-green stripes on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Auriga: A USM research vessel involved in the Xenomorph outbreak which became known as the Auriga incident in 2381. Spanning over 3,5 kilometers in length, the further specs of the Auriga are kept secret, although a prominent feature is a large docking shaft, opening to the ventral side. In the late 24th century, the Auriga was assigned to be the location for a project to clone Ellen Ripley and harvest the Alien Queen that died with her. For this purpose, the Auriga was set on a course in the outer reaches of the Sol system, far outside of the local trading routes. The ship was also equipped with research facilities customized to hold a limited number of Xenomorph specimens and an artificial intelligence mainframe called FATHER tasked with automating and supervising operations. During the outbreak, FATHER directed the Auriga's course towards the USM home base, Earth, following protocol for a case of emergency. However, the android Call managed to access the mainframe and re-direct its course to crash on an uninhabited part of the African continent. A short time later, the Auriga was destroyed during the impact, taking all Xenomorphs aboard with it. (A:RES)

Auriga incident: The events surrounding and including the cloning of Ripley and the subsequent Xenomorph infestation aboard the USM research vessel Auriga in 2381.

1. Planting the seed

In the aftermath of the Fury 16 incident in 2179, a Weyland-Yutani research team collected genetic samples of Ellen Ripley from the infirmary of the penal colony and put them into storage for possible use later on. After the downfall of Weyland-Yutani, these samples found their way into possession of the United States Military. By the end of the 24th century, technology had advanced to a state where the cloning of a human being became possible. In order to harvest the Xenomorph organism for study, the United States Military initiated a project to clone Ripley and the Queen embryo inside her aboard the USM research vessel Auriga. This project was not authorized by the United States government, and the Auriga was placed on a location on the far reaches of the Sol system to avoid unwanted attention. While General Perez was assigned as the military commander of the operation, the science was led by Dr. Mason Wren.

2. The cloning of Ripley

It took years for the project to succeed. The first seven clones that managed to surpass the micro- scopic stage were monstrous failures, twisted hybrids of human and Xenomorph biology. As these clones were nonviable, let alone be able to host the Queen embryo, they were discarded and put into stasis storage. However, in 2381, the science team under guidance of Dr. Wren was successful: Rip- ley 8 was a perfect replica of the deceased woman, at least on the outside, and due to accelerated growth therapy, she grew from an infant to an adult in roughly a month. However, there were several side effects: Ripley 8 was stronger and faster than an ordinary human and wounds healed on a highly accelerated speed. Another legacy of the Xenomorph were genetically stored memories of the old Ripley, although those memories only resurfaced slowly. In the end, these characteristics were of of secondary interest to the scientists, who followed their main objective and surgically extracted the Queen embryo from the host and put her into a holding facility, where she transformed into full size within days. On the request of his assistant Dr. Gediman, Wren allowed Ripley 8 to remain alive for further study.

25 3. Cultivating the Xenomorphs

With the Queen secured, the second phase of the Auriga project began. General Perez had contacted an acquaintance of his, the smuggler Frank Elgyn, and in exchange for hard cash, Perez struck a deal with Elgyn to procure and deliver human host bodies to the Auriga. Elgyn and the rest of his band of smugglers proceeded to hijack a passenger liner en route to Xarem and transfer the occupied cryosleep tubes to their own ship, the Betty. Soon after, the Betty arrived at the Auriga and docked with the ship. The goods were exchanged, and with Perez's blessing, the crew decided to stay on board for a few days. The scientists immediately began with the impregnation process. Within a short time, a population of twelve adult Xenomorphs was cultivated.

4. Escalation

What nobody knew was that there was someone among the crew of the Betty who had her very own agenda: Annalee Call. She gained access to the cell where Ripley 8 was held with the intent to kill her in order to prevent the scientist from retrieving the Queen embryo. However, Call soon realized that she was too late. Also, Wren had noticed her unauthorized entry, took Call into custody and brought her to the mess hall where the rest of Elgyn's crew was present at the time. Wren's accusa- tions of terrorist activity escalated into violence. Elgyn and the other smugglers quickly overwhelmed the security guards, took Wren and a USM soldier called DiStephano hostage in order to fight their way back to the Betty, when a ship-wide alert was activated. The Xenomorphs had managed to escape from their cages and began to decimate the Auriga's soldiers and scientists.

5. Shift of power

Perez ordered the evacuation of the ship, and while an undisclosed number of Auriga personnel was able to escape in time, most of the remaining staff, including Perez, were killed off in the initial attack. The Xenomorphs proceeded to free the Queen and set up a hive in a waste tank of the Auriga. However, the Queen had in turn been mutated by Ripley's DNA and developed female reproductive organs, which caused the Xenomorph to cease their efforts to take victims for impregnation soon after the hive had been created. Meanwhile, the crew of the Betty made their way towards the Auriga's docking bay. Ripley had also noticed the outbreak and escaped her cell. She found the smugglers just in time to save them from a Xenomorph, which had just killed their captain, Elgyn. A fragile alliance between the two parties was formed, and following directions provided by Wren and DiS- tephano, Ripley took the lead. However, time was running out as the Auriga, following emergency procedure, had set course to the USM home base: Earth.

6. Traversing the Auriga

During their trek through the Auriga, Ripley 8 found and destroyed the remains of the first seven clones. The crew also picked up a civilian called Purvis, one of the human hosts from the passenger liner. Despite the fact that Purvis had already been impregnated, the crew decided to take him with them so that Wren could remove the embryo later. While traversing the flooded kitchen of the ship, the survivors were attacked by two Xenomorphs and lost the crew members Hillard and Christie to the creatures whereas Wren took the opportunity to leave behind the rest of the group. Call had been injured by Wren when he made his move, and when the survivors took a short break, it was revealed that Call was a second-generation android who had made it her mission to prevent humanity from unleashing the Xenomorph on the galaxy. Ripley convinced Call to manually log into the ship's mainframe, where she unlocked an escape route to the Betty and set the Auriga on a collision course

26 to Earth. The survivors had almost reached the Betty when Ripley 8 was abducted by the Aliens into their hive. Unable to help her, the rest of the group was forced to move on without her.

7. Escape and stowaway

Inside the Xenomorph hive, Ripley witnessed the birth of the Queen's Newborn, a grotesque human/Alien hybrid. Meanwhile, the surviving crew members had reached the Betty only to be confronted by Wren. However, the chief scientist of the Auriga was killed by Purvis, who managed to overwhelm him and pull his head to his chest just as the Chestburster erupted. The crew made short work of the creature and proceeded to prepare the Betty for take-off. At the same time, Ripley 8 escaped the hive and reached the Betty just seconds before it left the docking bay. When the Auriga was obliterated during the impact on Earth's surface, Ripley, Call and the rest of the group believed the Xenomorph threat to be eliminated. However, the Newborn had managed to escape destruction as a stowaway aboard the Betty. The hybrid killed DiStephano, but was destroyed when Ripley used her acidic blood to melt a nearby viewport, which sucked the Newborn into vacuum. Ripley, Call and the other two survivors from Elgyn's crew, Johner and Vriess, subsequently safely landed the Betty on New Zealand, Earth. (A:RES, A:OS)

Australia: The smallest of the seven continents on Earth. As with the rest of the planet, Australia was affected by the global Xenomorph infestation during the Earth War in the 2190s. In 2192, Bris- bane was the location of one of the first large nests discovered and destroyed by Orona's special forces. In 2193, the continent was infested to a degree where a strict quarantine was placed on the continent, isolating it from the rest of the world. Every attempt to travel to or escape from Australia was met with deadly military force. Earth, and Australia, would eventually be reclaimed by mankind. (A:B1 – O)

Auto-Adjust Crosshair: An advanced cross-hair technology for sniping operations that processes any atmospheric conditions that may divert a bullet's course, like wind, and relays the right aiming necessary to hit the target. Weyland Industries filed the patent on this technology under the file number 10,445,075 on June 3, 2026. (PR:WIW)

Ax, Jerico: A male human and one of the first children resulting from the Artificial Womb project. While growing up with the other children from the program, Ax would develop the personality of a bully. One of his targets of abuse was young Thomas Spears. Eventually, nine-year-old Spears ambushed and killed Ax, making it the first time that he had taken someone's life. Ax's death was deemed an accident, though it is unknown whether no one had discovered the actual cause or it was a cover-up. (A:B2 - NA)

Azureus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in azure-blue highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

*** B ***

Bailey, M.: One of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Ranking Corpo- ral at the time, Bailey was a skilled dropship pilot. Due to the impending destruction of the Sephora, Bailey was forced to escape aboard a dropship with a nearly empty fuel tank. Despite his efforts, the ship plummeted down to LV-426, and Bailey was killed during the crash. (A:CMVG)

27 Bainbridge: A USCM member and part of the staff at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. Ranked Lieutenant. (A:B2 - NA)

Baines Amendment: A law in the legislation of the United States of America detailing the classification and legal handling of terrorists. The Baines Amendment was invoked when the TIA captured and interrogated a technician named Pindar during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Barnes: A male human and part of the Prometheus mission to LV-223 in 2093. Barnes was killed by the mutated Fifield when he wreaked havoc in the cargo bay of the Prometheus. (PR)

Baroski, S.: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident on LV- 426 in late 2179. Was an experienced marine ranking Corporal at the time of the incident. After crashing on the surface of LV-426, Baroski retreated into the Weyland-Yutani research facility surrounding the Derelict and led a successful one-man campaign against Wey-Yu security forces. Baroski was eventually killed when he ran out of ammo. (A:CMVG)

Barrington, J.: A USCM soldier. Was ranked Private First Class by 2179. Was originally to participate in the second mission of the USS Sephora to the Sulaco, a mission which would result in the Origin incident. Due to a bureaucratic mix-up, J. Barrington instead ended up with a safe assignment on a tropical planet. (A:CMVG)

Barrington, K.: A USCM soldier ranking Private First Class by 2179. Was originally assigned to a safe post on a tropical world, but due to a mix-up ended up on the USS Sephora and died during the Origin incident. (A:CMVG)

Bartlett Snake: An extraterrestrial species of snakes. In the 2190s, Bartlett Snakes could be found in regular zoos on Earth. (A:B1 - O)

Barton: A male human working for the Coast Guard. In 2192, Barton bore the rank of Commander, serving as the captain of the Coast Guard cutter. In this year, Barton was dispatched together with Ensign Lyle aboard the Dutton to destroy the wreckage of the Junket in Earth's orbit. Barton supervised the exploration of the wreckage via remote-controlled probe. Upon discovering the evidence of the Xenomorph's rampage aboard the freighter, Barton erroneously attributed the carnage to a crew member gone insane. After retrieving the data banks and remote-detonating the vessel, Barton and Lyle were both killed by the surviving Xenomorph, which had jumped ship aboard the Dutton's probe. (A:B1 – O)

BEA Systems: A British defense, security and aerospace company. Weyland Industries acquired BEA Systems in 2032. (PR:WIW)

Benedict: A transport vessel operated by EarthGov during the late 22nd century. At least 60 meters long and equipped with a Gravity Drive and a massive D.S. sensor phalanx. Contained a hangar large enough to house several Cheyenne-sized dropships. In 2192, the Benedict was sent on the eponymous mission under the command of Colonel Stephens, its objective being to travel to the Xenomorph Homeworld to collect a specimen. The Benedict reached the planet, but the ground-bound mission eventually ended in disaster. The three sole survivors of the mission, Wilks, Billie and an android named Bueller, managed to reach the Benedict and depart for Earth. By the time the ship reached Earth in late 2193, the world was already overrun

28 by Xenomorphs. The Benedict landed at one of the last remaining military facilities, where it was confiscated and used to evacuate key personnel of the Military Alliance. The final fate of the Bene- dict is unknown. (A:B1 – O)

Benedict mission: A mission initiated by EarthGov to travel to the Xenomorph Homeworld and collect a specimen for use as a bio-weapon. Named after the ship used for this expedition. Led by Colonel Stephens of the USCM. Took place in 2192 and 2193, during the first stages of the Earth War.

1. Prelude

In early 2192, the discovery of the wreckage of an old Bionational freighter named Junket in Earth's orbit provided EarthGov with the coordinates of the Xenomorph Homeworld. Eager to collect an Alien specimen for study, the military quickly initiated plans for an expedition to the homeworld. As the leading expert in the field, Dr. Waidslaw Orona spearheaded the preparations while Colonel Stephens – secretly working for Bionational – acted as the military commander. Against, Stephens' objections, Orona secured the services of a reluctant marine named Wilks, who had survived a Xenomorph encounter known as the Rim incident. Wilks proceeded to prepare a squad of advanced androids for the task, who were designed to act like humans and were oblivious to their real identity. Meanwhile, Bionational, aware of EarthGov's plans, prepared a mission of its own to intercept the mission and prevent it from obtaining a specimen while aiming to secure a Xenomorph for its own research. For this operation, Bionational hired Patrick Massey, a highly skillful and sociopathic freelancer, to prepare and lead the intercept.

2. Journey to the homeworld

On April 5, 2192, the EarthGov mission launched aboard the transport vessel Benedict from a military launch pad in Toowoomba, Australia. The operation was placed under the command of Colonel Stephens, with Wilks acting as an adviser. At the same time, the Bionational intercept took up pursuit aboard the ship K-014, starting its own mission, which was dubbed Operation Outreach. First complications arose when it became known shortly after launch that Wilks had smuggled a civilian on board: Billie, a young woman who, as a child, had survived the Rim incident together with Wilks. Stephens was furious about the stowaway, but let the issue slide considering the mission was already underway. During the gravity burn travel period, Stephens secretly maintained contact with the Bionational ship and updated Massey about the situation. While on patrol, a human named Easley stumbled upon Stephens' betrayal, but was killed by the Colonel before he could reveal his treachery.

3. Hostile takeover

When the Benedict eventually arrived in orbit of the Xenomorph Homeworld, Massey made his move. Facilitated by Stephens' machinations, the K-014 docked with the Benedict. Massey and his forces quickly took control of the crew of the Benedict, with only Billie managing to evade capture and to go into hiding. After killing Stephens, Massey ordered his forces to land on the planet and use the Benedict's marines as bait. The Bionational dropship touched down near a very large hive structure, and the mercenaries forced the marines to investigate the site while they would supervise the foray from the safety of their Air Pods. However, while the marines explored the hive, winged creatures attacked the floaters, decimating Massey's forces and forcing the survivors to seek shelter in the hive. There, the troops were attacked by Xenomorphs. Meanwhile, the marines, astonished by

29 the fact that they neither got impregnated nor killed, emerged from the hive and noticed the predica- ment of Massey's forces. Subconsciously following their programmed directive to help humans no matter the circumstances, the marines armed themselves and entered the hive to rescue the mercenaries.

4. Revelations and escape

On the Benedict, Billie managed to grab a weapon and kill Massey. Back in control, Billie and Wilks noticed the situation on the surface and took Massey's lander down to help the marines. While evacuating the hive, a marine named Bueller was ripped in half, revealing the squad's android identity. Billie and Wilks landed near the hive and took up the survivors. Wilks now planned to eradicate the hive, using warheads from the Benedict, but before he could do this, the Xenomorphs swarmed over the lander. Trapped inside, the survivors were unexpectedly rescued by the arrival of a lone Mala'kak Collector, who effortlessly obliterated the attacking Aliens. It was then when the lander received Orona's transmission, which informed Wilks and the others of the Xenomorph infestation on Earth. Hoping that the Mala'kak would help them against the Alien scourge, Wilks, Bil- lie and the others blew up the hive and departed for Earth aboard the Benedict. (A:B1 – O)

Benedict, Tristan: A male human and one of colonists involved in the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid-80s of the 24th century. Benedict grew up in the Chicago centerplex on Earth, where he met Philip Philipakos during his childhood. The two went to the same school and became close friends. This friendship endured during their youth and early adulthood, and when Benedict was in need of a job, Philipakos offered him a place on the botanic space colony Domes Epsilon, of which he was administrator. However, it soon became apparent that Benedict was a slacker, which drew him the disdain of the other colonist. He kept his job, however, as Philipakos, due to their friendship, was unable to take the appropriate measures. During his years on Domes Epsilon, Benedict discovered the hallucinogenic qualities of the Sinjaba plant and spent more and more time intoxicated instead of working. During the Domes Epsilon incident, Benedict was the first colonist to be killed by the Xenomorphs during one of his stays in the Sinjaba garden, to be later found by Call and Shepherd as the evacuation of the station went underway. (A:OS)

Benjamin, Matthew: A male human and a flitter mechanic. After working for Weyland-Yutani for a few months, Benjamin was reassigned to a Weyland-Yutani research station on the planet C-3 L/M in 2232, as the replacement for Victor Standish, the staff engineer. While this assignment seemed to make no sense due to Benjamin's inexperience with advanced engineering, it was part of Weyland-Yutani's efforts to root out a Planetus spy at the facility and take over Planetus. Charles Braley, the man behind the whole scheme, replaced the entire staff in a similar fashion until only the spies remained from the original roster. He proceeded to kill both the spies and the new staff, including Benjamin, by using robotic Chestbursters in order to fake an Alien infestation on the planet as part of a master plan to acquire Planetus. These events would become known as the C-3 L/M incident. (A:NE)

Berringetti Conflict: An armed conflict. Notable for having been critically influenced by the weather conditions present during the crisis. (A:B2 - NA)

Betty: A battered old freighter operated by Frank Elgyn and his crew of smugglers in the late 24th century. Named after Betty Grable and sported a painting of her on its hull. When exactly the ship was built is unknown, but rumors persist that it is over 200 years old. Powered by Lockmart Spe-

30 cials and equipped with limited space defense capabilities. The ship was also outfitted with an adaptable docking hatch which made boarding operations to almost every target possible. The Betty and its crew was involved in the Auriga incident, delivering stolen cryotubes with human bodies to the Auriga research vessel in 2381 to be used as hosts to cultivate a Xenomorph colony. When the outbreak aboard started, the Betty was still docked to the Auriga and was later used by the survivors to flee the Auriga shortly before its destruction. After purging the stowaway Newborn from its docking bay, the Betty was safely landed on Earth. The Betty was also used by Ripley 8 and the reformed crew of the ship on their raid for information about the Loki organization and during the Domes Epsilon incident in the years that followed. (A:RES, A:OS)

Bibliocom: An offline version of a database. Spears used a Bibliocom version of the USCM database to inform himself about Wilks, as an online version was no longer available due to the disrup- tions caused by the Xenomorph infestation on Earth. (A:B2 - NA)

Bill: A male human and a high-ranking military. During the preparations for the Benedict mission in 2192, Bill was approached by Colonel Stephens who tried to persuade him to use his leverage to remove David Wilks from the mission. Bill rejected the request as high command insisted on putting a person having first-hand experience with Xenomorphs on board. (A:B1 – O)

Billie: A female human. Full name Wilhemina. Daughter of Russ and Sarah and sister of Vick. The sole survivor of a Xenomorph outbreak on the planet Rim and a key figure during the Earth War crisis in the 2190s.

1. Early life and the Rim incident

Billie was born in the early 2170s on a terraformer transport en-route to the planet Rim, where her parents had signed up as colonists. For the next six years, Billie grew up at Rim without incident. This changed in the late 2170s, when her father started an expedition to the Valley of the Iron Fin- gers to investigate unusual sensor readings. Taking Billie, her brother, his wife and his assistant Gene Zendall with him, Russ traveled to the Valley aboard a hopper, where he eventually discovered a crashed Mala'kak ship. Leaving Billie and her brother behind inside the hopper, the adults explored the wreckage and discovered its cargo of Xenomorph eggs. What exactly happened then is unknown other than the fact that a Xenomorph infestation claimed the Rim colony afterward, leaving no survivors except for Billie. Eventually, a marine contingent sent to investigate the communication breakdown found Billie. During the following confrontation, only Billie and a marine named Wilks, with whom she had developed a close bond during the events, managed to escape the planet.

2. Aftermath and mental breakdown

Following the return to civilized space, Billie underwent thorough medical examinations by the authorities. When the results were inconclusive, she was mind-wiped and sent to the world of Ferro, where she lived with relatives for several years. However, the mind wipe did not completely take, manifesting itself in gruesome nightmares which eventually caused a mental breakdown. Billie was institutionalized at several mental wards until she was transferred to Feildcrest Home on Earth in 2182. Treatments until then had been unsuccessful and would continue to yield no results for the following ten years, during which Billie spent her time at the ward on heavy medications. During this time, the uncaring treatment and strict regulations did little to better her situation.

31 3. Reunion and the Benedict mission

In 2192, Billie got an unexpected visit from Wilks who informed her that he would travel to the Xenomorph Homeworld aboard the government ship Benedict to retrieve an Alien specimen. Fi- nally realizing that her nightmares were true and that she was not insane, Billie pleaded with Wilks to take her with him and tried to tell him of the cruel conditions at Feildcrest. As Billie was not allowed to talk treatment, the visit was terminated by the supervisor. It was then that the doctors decided to let Billie undergo invasive surgery to cure her, a measure which would result in permanent damage to her brain. Just in time before this plan was to be put in action, Wilks infiltrated Feildcrest Home, freed Billie and smuggled her aboard the Benedict. Shortly after the Benedict had departed from Earth, Wilks revealed Billie's presence to the rest of the crew. To keep her busy during the voyage, Wilks assigned Billie menial tasks to do around the ship. It was during this period that Billie began a romantic relationship with one of the marines, Mitch Bueller. Wilks, who knew of the man's secret android identity, tried to discourage the relationship, but only succeeded in antagonizing Billie.

4. Escalation

In orbit of the Xenomorph Homeworld, the Benedict was hijacked by a Bionational team led by a man named Massey. Almost the entire crew was captured – save for Billie, who went into hiding and armed herself. In the meantime, Massey sent his men to the surface, who took Bueller and the other Benedict marines with them in order to use them as bait. The operation was already underway when Billie emerged and killed Massey, who had stayed behind to supervise the mission. Together with Wilks, she took a dropship and departed for the surface in order to rescue Bueller and the others. When the Bionational mercenaries became pinned down within a Xenomorph hive, Billie had to watch helplessly as Bueller and the marines decided to return to the hive and rescue them. Soon after, the Xenomorphs attacked the marines, one of which ripped Bueller in half, revealing his android nature to a shocked Billie. Wilks tried to explain his motivations for keeping this a secret, but Billie loathed him for putting the mission over her feelings. After arriving on the surface, Wilks and Billie rescued the survivors, among them Bueller, and retreated to the dropship, only to become trapped on the ship by the attacking Xenomorphs. Unex- pected help arrived in form of a lone Mala'kak who slaughtered the Xenomorphs without effort. Bil- lie recognized the being from the wreckage on Rim and was hit by a vision as the Mala'kak communicated his hatred for the Aliens. When Orona's message informed the group of the Xenomorph infestation on Earth, Billie suggested taking the Mala'kak with them in order to liberate the planet. Af- ter destroying the hive, Wilks, Billie, Bueller and the others departed for Earth, with the Mala'kak ship in tow. During the voyage, Billie initially treated Bueller with contempt, who himself was distraught by the revelation of his nature. Soon, however, she put her disgust and feelings of betrayal aside and made amends, as she realized that their love was real, no matter their species.

5. A short return to Earth

By the time of the Benedict's return to Earth, the Xenomorph infestation had taken over most of the planet, and the last vestiges of the human military were retreating. After landing at one of the last secured military facilities near Galveston, Texas, Billie and the others learned that the military had no intention of a counterattack. The troops confiscated the Benedict and left Wilks, Billie and Bueller behind to die, but the group managed to sneak onto one of the last automated cargo ships leaving, the American. As the vessel left Earth, Billie received another telepathic message from the

32 Mala'kak, who gleefully informed her that it was not here to help humanity, but to claim Earth for itself.

6. Destination unknown

The first two weeks of the journey were tense for Billie. In addition to the hopelessness due to leaving Earth to the Xenomorphs, Billie's problems with her feelings for Bueller put a strain on their relationship. This all changed when a Xenomorph-related nightmare caused her to believe that at least one of the creatures was aboard the American. She proceeded to warn the others, and Wilks hesi- tantly agreed to follow up on her dream together with her. She turned out to be right: Near the aft cargo hold, Biellie and Wilks discovered four occupied hypersleep chambers. The passengers had once been impregnated, but the Xenomorphs had already hatched and freed themselves from the chambers. One of the Drones appeared and attacked them, but was flushed out due to decompression caused by the ensuing firefight. Billie and Wilks managed to escape the vacuum and, together with Bueller, used the surveillance systems to get rid of the remaining Aliens via decompression. However, the creatures managed to cling to the American. Billie put on an EVA suit and went outside on the outer hull to get rid of the Aliens. With the help of Wilks and Bueller, Billie managed to kill the remaining two Drones.

7. Third Base

Eventually, the American reached its destination: Third Base, a USCM facility commanded by Gen- eral Spears, who oversaw experiments to tame and command a Xenomorph army against the infestation on Earth. Wilks and Billie were put into isolation and scanned for impregnation. Some time later, Spears, seeing their value as survivors of encounters with the Aliens, invited Billie and Wilks to dinner where he presented his masterplan. Billie was shocked, but played along on Wilks' urging. Afterward, Billie and Wilks were given free run of the base. During this time, Billie passed by the comm station, where she happened to witness a broadcast from two survivors on Earth, a girl named Amy and her foster uncle Burt. Billie could not help but become emotionally invested in Amy's fate and checked back regularly. It was due to one of these broadcasts that she also learned of Ellen Ripley. She also visited the research facility to check up on Bueller, who was retrofitted with a walking chassis. During the ensuing mutiny against Spears, Bil- lie assisted Wilks and eventually managed to leave Third Base with him by sneaking onto the MacArthur, one of two ships carrying the Xenomorph army inbound for Earth. However, they had to leave Bueller behind in the process, and Billie, who had come around to acknowledging her feelings for him, said a tearful goodbye to the android via the comm system. While the two ships journeyed back to the Sol system, Billie and Wilks developed a plan to stop Spears. Using EVA suits, they jumped ship to confront Spears. After the firefight ended in a draw, Wilks managed to trick Spears into giving them an escape pod. Near Earth, Billie and Wilks were able to flee to Gateway Station where they watched Spears' final fate unfold in his broadcast. They were then joined by an android resembling Ripley to discuss how to wipe the Xenomorphs out once and for all. (A:B2 - NA)

Bio-Replicator Pod: A device used for replicating seeds and plants for use on colony worlds. In- vented and manufactured by Weyland Industries. First introduced in 2058, the Bio-Replicator Pod underwent dramatic enhancements and improvements during the following decade. By the 2070s, the device was one cubic foot in size and featured a database of over 40 million samples, able to replicate seeds and grow it at a rate of 55 percent compared to natural plants, given ideal local conditions. The Bio-Replicator Pod can be installed for both civilian and industrial use, for example in

33 combination with a seeder for colonial agriculture. Weyland Industry recommended that civilian clients maintain the pod outside the house. (PR:WIW)

Bionational: A private corporation active during the late 22nd century that specialized in the field of biotechnology, with a separate biomed division partially dedicated to biological weapons. Main- tained a number of facilities on Earth, among them laboratories in Lima and Houston. Characterized by a ruthless nature and an indifference to human lives. Was the catalyst of the global Xenomorph infestation on Earth in the 2190s. By the year 2192, Bionational had been aware of the Xenomorph's existence for some time. When the Coast Guard discovered the wreckage of the Junket, an arms race between Bionational and the military to get a Xenomorph for bio-weapon research was initiated. The company wasted no time and commenced Operation Outreach, which was aimed at intercepting the military expedition to the Xenomorph Homeworld. But the company had another ace up its sleeve as it had managed to retrieve the missing pilot pod of the Junket, complete with the impregnated navigator, James T. Likowski. Likowski was brought to the Houston facility where he gave birth to a Queen. In the meantime, a Bionational representative teased the new bio-weapon technology at the San Diego Arms Fair, generating considerable interest. The specimen was then brought to Lima, where it gestated to maturity in a containment chamber. The leaking of information about the project caused Bionational's investment ratings to double on the global market. However, the Xenomorph scourge was freed from the laboratory due to an attack by a cult worshipping the creature. Despite meeting with the military to discuss containment options, the infestation spread like a wildfire, consuming mankind's homeworld during the so-called Earth War. The exact fate of Bionational is unknown, but it is likely that the corporation did not survive the fallout of its actions. (A:B1 – O)

Bionational Internal Memorandum 385769.1: A highly classified memorandum informing high- ranking representatives of Bionational of the start of the Benedict mission and the commencing of the corporation's own Operation Outreach in 2192. Contains detailed intel on the Benedict crew. Given its sensitive nature, the file was single-reading only and required a TS-1 clearance. (A:B1 – O)

Bionational Internal AV 42255-1: A Bionational video file showing the development of the Xenomorph Queen obtained from James T. Likowski in 2192. Requires a TS-1 clearance. The recordings go from its birth inside the corporation's Houston facility to its growth and maturation at the facility in Lima. Shortly after this file had been compiled for internal viewing, an old contact of an ex-employee named Salvaje stole a bad induction copy of the file and passed it on to him. It was this recording that revealed the existence of the Queen to the leader of Salvaje's Xenomorph-worshipping cult named the Church of Immaculate Incubation and thus made the cult's raid on the facility possible in the first place. Shortly after the raid, the copy found its way into the hands of the TIA and Dr. Orona, informing them of the escape of the Xenomorph organism into the general populace. (A:B1 – O)

Biotech: A major corporation operating during the 23rd century. (A:NE)

Bishop: A 'male type' android working in the capacity of Executive Officer for the USCM corps. Belonged to a series of androids modeled after Weyland-Yutani founder Charles Bishop Weyland. Assembled on LX-469. Equipped with advanced space navigation and piloting skills. A superior version of older android models, Bishop was fitted with ethic programming preventing him from harming a human being, keeping in line with official regulations.

34 1. The Hadley's Hope incident

Bishop played a pivotal role in the Hadley's Hope incident. During the voyage of the fateful recon mission to LV-426 in 2179, Bishop was supervising the Sulaco's systems while the human passengers were in hypersleep. Arriving at the planetoid, he also guided planetary maneuvering, bringing the ship in position for deployment. Shortly before the mission, Bishop met Ripley, who, due to her past experiences with another android called Ash, reacted distrustfully to Bishop. During the first phase of the mission, Bishop spent his time in the colony's medical wing dissecting and examining the dead Facehugger specimens found in the facilities. It was Bishop who found out that the Atmos- phere Processor of the colony was hours away from overheating and exploding after the remaining members of the mission returned from the disastrous exploration of the Xenomorph hive there. The survivors devised a plan to guide down the remaining dropship inside the Sulaco, which, due to damage to the power lines, had to be controlled directly with a portable terminal at the transmitter. Bishop volunteered for the task as he was the only one qualified enough and set out to reach the transmitter by crawling through a maintenance shaft. The android managed to land the dropship just in time to pick up Ripley and Hicks, who had fled a fatal Xenomorph attack on the command center, during which Rebecca 'Newt' Jorden had been abducted by a Xenomorph Drone. Ripley refused to leave Newt behind and told Bishop to fly them into the collapsing Atmosphere Processor, to which he reluctantly agreed. He managed to hold position in spite of the processor's critical state and later flew Ripley and Newt to minimum safety distance, just seconds before the explosion. Back at the Sulaco, Bishop was severely damaged when the stowaway Queen ripped him in half. However, this did not prevent him from saving Newt a second time, grabbing her when Ripley opened the airlock to flush out the Queen.

2. The Fury 16 incident

Bishop was further damaged when he crashed on Fiorina 161 with Ripley, Newt and Hicks. His remains were brought to one of the prison's scrapyards where Ripley recovered and reactivated them to learn more about the circumstances of the Sulaco's emergency evacuation. Bishop confirmed the presence of a Xenomorph aboard the ship and Weyland-Yutani's knowledge of the incident. After that, the android requested to be shut down to spare him further suffering – a request to which Rip- ley, who had grown to like and respect Bishop, only grudgingly complied. (A2, A3)

Bishop II: An advanced version of the Bishop-model android. While far more resilient than a human body, Bishop II also possesses a red version of synthetic blood to make him more convincing as a human in case of injury. When information about a Xenomorph presence on Fiorina 161 during the Fury 16 incident reached Weyland-Yutani, the Company sent a Bishop II aboard the Conestoga-class space transport Patna to the prison world. After arrival, the android made contact with Ellen Ripley, posing as Michael Bishop, the supposed human creator of the Bishop-type android in order to gain her trust. As the Xenomorph on Fury 16 has already been killed, Bishop II tried to persuade Ripley to let him extract the Queen embryo inside her body. During his plea, Bishop II was attacked with a steel pipe by a prison staff member named Aaron, but the android merely shrugged off the injury, revealing his true identity. Although the android pretended to have only Ripley's well-being as his objective, Ripley saw through the deception and leaped into the blast furnace, killing herself and the embryo. Having failed his mission, Bishop II took the only survivor, a prisoner named Morse, in for questioning and closed down the facility to be sold as scrap.

35 However, another prize would fall into his hands before leaving Fiorina 161: Hicks, who was actually still alive, and a colonist named Stone had escaped another confrontation with Weyland-Yutani aboard the Sulaco and wanted to use the penal colony's comm system to get word out about Wey- land-Yutani's machinations. Bishop II captured the two and turned them over to another Bishop android posing as the Company's CEO, Michael Weyland, who was supervising the construction of the Origin facility on LV-426. (A3, A:CMVG_SI)

Bishop, Andrea: A female human working for Weyland Industries as a testing and training specialist. Bishop was tasked with the supervision of the training center for applicants interested in joining Project Prometheus. (PR:WIW)

Black Goo: A chemical weapon created by an enigmatic race of extraterrestrials called the Mala'kak. Had the form of a sticky black liquid.

1. Description and properties

An incredibly potent substance, the Black Goo exhibited characteristics of both a mutagen and a DNA-disintegrating weapon of mass destruction. Not much is known about the Black Goo, the only contact with humanity being the LV-223 incident and the subsequent analysis by Weyland Industries scientists. The evidence suggested that the effects of the chemical was two-fold, depending on the method of administration to an organism. If inhaled, the Black Goo unfolded its mutagenic effects, degenerating the victim into a twisted and demented version of itself in a matter of hours, boosting strength, aggression and durability. If the substance is ingested, the weapon is terminal. The incubation time depends on the amount ingested: While a small drop can prolong the disintegration over several hours, several milliliters at once kills the victim within seconds. In case the incubation happens over a time span of hours, the victim experiences symptoms such as an accelerated heart rate, sexual arousal, degradation of the senses and motor skills and shortness of breath, followed by con- vulsions, massive internal bleeding and respiratory failure. The end result is always the disintegration of the organism's DNA, resulting in the total breakdown of the cellular structure, literally dis- solving the organism. While both administration methods pose a formidable weapon of mass destruction, the disintegrating effect on the DNA can also be used to inject the building blocks for organic life into a barren environment. The substance can only be safely contained for a long amount of time inside a dedicated Ampule device.

2. History

The Mala'kak created the Black Goo at an unspecified point in time, but at least 2,000 years before humanity would become a space-faring race. On at least one occasion, the Mala'kak used the Black Goo as a means to kick-start life on a barren planet by sacrificing one of their own, whose disinte- grated DNA entered the world's water reserves and became the foundation for organic lifeforms. 2,000 years ago, the Mala'kak or at least a fraction of the race decided to use the Black Goo to wipe out humanity. A ship stationed on the weapon world LV-223 was loaded with thousands of Black Goo Ampules, but the vessel never took off as an accidental release of the chemical weapon exter- minated the staff of the facility. At the time, the Black Goo was kept in a sealed atmosphere and remained that way for the next two millennia. In 2093, a science team led by Dr. Elizabeth Shaw reached LV-223 aboard the science vessel Prometheus. The team discovered a storage room for the Black Goo, but the scientists accidentally broke the atmosphere seal and released the Black Goo into the environment. The Back Goo immediately proceeded to mutate an indigenous species of worms into twisted mutations called the Hammerpedes. During the night following the exploration

36 of the facility, several individuals of the team were infected with the chemical weapon. Dr. Hol- loway ingested the substance through a drink spiked by the android David, and the geologist Fifield came into contact with it when a fatal encounter with the Hammerpede melted his helmet, which caused him to fall into a puddle of Black Goo. Holloway transmitted the substance to Dr. Shaw during sexual intercourse and, in spite of Shaw's infertility, they conceived a squid-like embryo which would later be removed and grow to become a monstrous creature called the Trilobite. Meanwhile, Fifield degenerated into a gross humanoid mutation that had considerable strength and durability. The next morning, the Fifield creature returned to the Prometheus, viciously attacked the personnel and could only be stopped after killing several crew members. Later that day, the original plan of the Mala'kak almost came to fruition when a reawakened survivor of the race managed to launch the transport vessel. However, the ship was crippled when the crew of the Prometheus crashed the vessel into the departing Mala'kak ship. In the aftermath of the incident, Weyland Industries was able to acquire information about the Black Goo. The amount of data was conclusive enough to as- semble a dossier about the substance, including a threat assessment. Weyland scientists gave the Black Goo the designation “Chemical_A0-3959X.91 – 15_”. (PR)

Blake: A female-type advanced android developed by the human military. Comrade of Mitch Bueller. Like her sister-models, Blake was part of a project to create combat androids which acted and felt like humans. As part of this project, the synthetics themselves were led to believe they were actual human beings. In 2191, Blake, Bueller and the others received combat training and were formed into a military unit as First Squad, Fox Platoon, Company Able, 1st Extee Division, Second Colonial Marines. During this training, Blake proved to be an excellent shot and was awarded the Marks- manship Badge. In 2192, she and her comrades were chosen to participate in the Benedict mission and received special training under David Wilks to prepare them for combat with the Xenomorphs. Blake was one of the few who survived the Benedict's visit to the Xenomorph Homeworld. After returning to Earth and landing at a military facility near Galveston, Texas, the survivors learned that the military had no intention to fight back and would soon evacuate, leaving them behind on a dying planet. Wilks tried to reason with an officer to consider other options, but the man rejected any sug- gestions and drew his gun to keep Wilks in check. Blake, following her inherent programming to protect human life, stepped in and distracted the officer long enough for Wilks to overwhelm him, sacrificing her life in the process. At the time of her death, Blake carried a standard-army issue Smith Auto pistol with a 15 double-stack magazin and no ammo counter. Billie took the weapon and proceeded to use it as her personal sidearm. (A:B1 – O)

Blue Jay Colony: A colony on KOI-1361.01 established in 2060. Sported a population of over 2,5 million by 2071. The colony's industry focused on exploiting the planet's rich and diverse mineral deposits. Due to the hot and arid climate of the desert world, 60 percent of the Blue Jay Colony's water supplies had to be imported. (PR:WIW)

Boeing: An aerospace and defense company. Weyland Industries acquired Boeing in 2032. (PR:WIW)

Boggs, Edward: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident in 2179. Together with the prisoners Rains and Golic, he was tasked with exploring defunct parts of the facility to salvage equipment and supplies. During the incident, Boggs was one of the first to be killed by the Alien while planting light sources in an abandoned part of the complex. (A3)

37 Boiler: A mutated form of the Xenomorph Drone encountered in the sewers of the ruins of Hadley's Hope during the Origin incident in late 2179.

1. Origin

The creatures originally belonged to the nest that had overrun Hadley's Hope during the eponymous incident earlier in 2179 and afterward became feral due to the absence of a Queen. Without her, the hive structure quickly fell apart, reducing the Boilers to a disorganized enclave roaming a hived section in the depths of Hadley's Hope's sewers. The Boilers shared their territory with another monstrous variation of the Xenomorph called the Raven, though there exists no evidence to point out that the Raven was connected to the Boiler colony.

2. Biology

Due to the radioactive fallout caused by the explosion of the nearby Atmosphere Processor, many of the Drones died, leaving their husks behind. Those who survived suffered severe mutations: The complexion of their skin changed to a pale white, and clusters of tumors deformed their appearance. Their agility degenerated to a slow, stalking gait. Yellow pustules grew on their bodies, containing a bio-luminescent and highly volatile version of their acidic blood. Whatever visual senses they had before were irrevocably damaged, which in turn forced them to rely solely on their acoustic perception. Excessive sonic impulses aggravated the Boilers, causing them to home in on the source in swarms. This reaction also increased the temperature of the liquid inside their pustules, making them glow. When the temperature reached a critical level, the whole organism literally exploded in a cloud of acid.

3. Encounter during the Origin incident.

USCM marines Winter and O'Neal discovered the Boiler colony while traversing the sewers on their search for fellow marines Clarison and Reid. The two were separated during an attack by the Raven, who captured and cocooned Winter. While O'Neal traversed Boiler territory looking for his comrade, Winter freed himself and reestablished contact with his teammate. In order to rejoin O'Neal, Winter traversed the Boiler-infested sewers and activated several generators to distract and dispose of the creatures. (A:CMVG)

Bolero: A female human who joined the crew of the Betty some time after the Auriga incident as the new pilot of the ship after Hillard had died aboard the Auriga. Quickly learned to appreciate Vriess's skills in foot massage. Bolero helped Ripley 8 and the others during their raids on numerous border stations for information about the Loki organization and often used her good looks to charm station personnel into doing favors that would make it easier for the crew to get the data and escape. She also did so during the raid of Byzantium Station and later flew the Betty to Domes Epsilon in order to stop Loki from infesting the station. During the final events of this operation, Bolero was attacked by a covert android agent of Loki called Cody. However, she suffered no severe injuries, and Cody was overwhelmed quickly by the other crew members. (A:OS)

Bougainville-class space transport: A class of military transport vessel introduced into USCM service in 2180. Intended to replace the Conestoga-class as the primary troop and logistic transport. (CMTM)

38 BP-33 AAC Gun: A type of Celestial Defense Platform. The UPP used BP-33s to defend its outpost on LV-426 during the Sulaco incident in 2179. (A:INF)

Bradley, C.: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Corporal at the time. Bradley was famous for his quips and one-liners, which did not save him from being killed by Xenomorphs during the incident. (A:CMVG)

Brahms Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-817.01. Established in 2051, it would boast a population of 750,000 by 2071. The Brahms Outpost's industry focused on mining. Key resources were cerium, lithium, aluminum and methane. (PR:WIW)

Braley, Charles: A male human working as a representative for Weyland-Yutani in 2232. Hides a sadistic and ruthless personality behind a friendly demeanor. Was involved in the C3 L/M incident. When it became apparent that spies from Planetus, a rival corporation, had infiltrated a research station of Weyland-Yutani on the planet C-3 L/M, Braley was ordered to deal with the situation. He devised a vicious plan that not only would eliminate the threat of corporate espionage, but also take over Planetus in the process. After running background checks on the personnel, Braley relocated the staff of the facility one by one, replacing them with randomly chosen inexperienced Weyland- Yutani employees until there were only two suspects left, a man called Tobin A. Marshall and a synth of the LaFargue production line. Braley then moved in with a strike force and captured the two suspects. He proceeded to brutally torture Marshall and the synth before he set the second part of the plan in motion: Braley destroyed the synth and killed Marshall and the replacement staff using robotic Chestburster constructs to stage a supposed Xenomorph threat on C-3 L/M. Planetus, who owned half of the planet, quickly send over two investigators, a former Weyland-Yutani employee called Anders Kramm and a Planetus representative called Frances Stauff. Acting clueless, Braley cooperated with them on the case. When Kramm and Stauff discovered the truth behind the incident, Braley planted a real Alien aboard their ship and used a media publication of their supposed deaths to drive down stocks for Planetus. Weyland-Yutani jumped to the opportunity and took over Planetus. As Kramm and Stauff had escaped Braley's trap, he interrogated a high-ranking Plan- etus representative called Matthew Darby to gain knowledge of the whereabouts of Kramm, Stauff and other investigators targeted by Weyland-Yutani. When he learned that the survivors were headed back to Planetus aboard one of their automated spacecrafts, he remote-ordered a course change to the world of Soulages, where Weyland-Yutani was operating an artificial Alien hive. Bra- ley set up the facility to play a vicious game with the survivors; however, Kramm and Stauff and one other survivor managed to escape the planet aboard a short-range flyer and take over the Wey- land-Yutani research station on the nearby moon. Reportedly, Braley was later killed during the incident, but rumors persist that the deceased individual was actually a synthetic. (A:NE)

Brandywine: A female human and a member of the USCM corps. Born in the 2110s. Known for her tough attitude. In the 2140s, Brandywine inhabited the rank of Gunnery Sergeant and worked as a small-arms instructor. Among her recruits was Thomas A.W. Spears, 15 years old at the time. Brandywine used an encounter in the shower room to seduce Spears, taking the sexual intercourse as an opportunity to teach him the military skill of patience. (A:B2 - NA)

Brawley, J.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

39 Brett, S. E.: A male human serving as an Engineer Tech for the crew of the cargo hauler Nostromo from 2120 to 2122. Born on July 13, 2069 in Houston, Texas. Had the ID number 724/R4-06J. Was involved in the Nostromo incident.

1. Early life

Brett launched his working career by starting to work as a mechanic at E-Z-Fly Spacecraft Repair, a family business based in Houston, on June 21, 2085. After nine years, Brett left E-Z-Fly and accepted an assignment as a hardware specialist at Solari Energy Corp in Osaka, Japan on May 15, 2094 – an employment which was terminated for undisclosed reasons on December 21, 2095. He then started working for Ridton Corp on February 1, 2096 until he was suspended on July 16 for flying high-speed cargo ships through the Iranistan war zone. The following investigation uncovered that Brett was an alcoholic. He was being treated in-house for this problem and successfully completed the program on December 4. Subsequently, Ridton Corporation assigned Brett to the deep sea ship Ozymandias in the capacity of Assistant Engineer. At an unknown date, Brett returned to his home town and enlisted at the Houston School of Astrophysics and Interstellar Engi- neering from which he graduated on May 21, 2108. Brett entered Weyland-Yutani employment as Assistant Engineer aboard the waste disposal vessel Corazon Oscuro on July 14. During this time, Brett relapsed into alcoholism. On November 10, 2111, he failed a blood alcohol test and was committed to a Weyland-Yutani medical facility on Titan. During a cerebral detox procedure taking place on January 9, 2112, Brett suffered minor brain damage. A lengthy period of recovery followed until his flight status would be restored on April 3, 2113. Brett stayed on Titan and began working as an Assistant Engineering Tech at a Weyland-Yutani fusion reactor facility on April 19. His time on Titan ended after four years with the assignment to the cargo vessel Nonnabo as Engineering Tech on November 3, 2117, where he would meet and make friends with Parker, who was working aboard the same ship. On September 10, 2120, Brett joined the crew of the Nostromo together with Brett when it was en route to Thedus. Brett was still on the crew roster when the Nostromo incident took place in 2122.

2. The Nostromo incident

When the Nostromo took minor damage during the landing on LV-426, Brett was responsible for restoring the ship together with Parker. Brett would eventually become the first victim of the full- grown Xenomorph when he was chasing Jones, the Nostromo's pet cat, inside the landing strut chambers. (A1)

Brisbane: A city in North-Eastern Australia. Brisbane was the location of one of the first larger Xenomorph nests purged by Orona's forces during the early stages of the Earth War in 2192. In 2193, Brisbane was subject to the quarantine of Australia due to massive infestation. (A:B1 – O)

Broca Dialectical Implant: A surgical implant that enables the carrier to speak other languages without having to learn it. Named after Broca's area, a region of the human brain linked to speech capacity. This revolutionary technology was developed by Weyland Industries and introduced on August 9, 2060. (PR:WIW)

Brooke: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Thanatos incident in the 2170s. By the time of the incident, Brooke was 26 years old and ranked Corporal. During the conflict, Brooke successfully led a team of four marines into the Xenomorph hive and killed the Queen. Brooke and his team escaped the ship before it self-destructed. (A:TE)

40 Brown, J.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

Brother-of-Darkness: A planet rich with ore. In the 24th century, mankind entertained a colony on this world. (A:OS)

Brucie: A female human living on Gateway Station during the Xenomorph infestation of Earth in the 2190s. In 2193, Brucie was monitoring a comm station when Spears began to broadcast the supposedly “glorious” assault of his troops. Brucie, who was joined by a medic named Henry and newly-arrived Wilks and Billie, watched long enough to see Spears' fatal misjudgment and his gruesome demise. (A:B2 - NA)

Bueller, Mitchell: A male-type advanced android in service of the military. Had the appearance of a young adult and a carefree and gentle personality. Played a key role during the Benedict mission in 2192.

1. Creation

Bueller was part of a series of advanced androids developed by the military for high-profile missions. Apart from being cost-effective to produce, this particular line of synthetics were designed to act and feel like real human beings in order to prevent interaction problems with regular soldiers. As part of this objective, even the androids themselves were kept unaware of their real identity. Thus, Bueller and the others spent their entire existence inside a secured military facility believing that they were human. In 2191, the androids were banded together as a military unit, honing their skills in combat training. The squad was assigned to First Squad, Fox Platoon, Company Able, 1 st Extee Division, Second Colonial Marines.

2. The mission

One year later, in 2192, Bueller and the other androids finally received their call to action when the military initiated the Benedict mission to retrieve a Xenomorph specimen from their homeworld. Bueller and the other synthetics entered special training under the second-in-command of the mission, David Wilks, to prepare them for a confrontation with the creatures. On April 5, 2192, Bueller and the rest of the team departed from Earth aboard the Benedict. During the voyage, Bueller met a young woman named Billie, a survivor of an earlier Xenomorph attack who had been smuggled aboard by Wilks. Eventually, the two developed romantic feelings for each other and entered into a relationship, despite Wilks' misgivings.

3. On the Xenomorph Homeworld

After arriving in orbit of the Xenomorph Homeworld, the Benedict was boarded by an intercept sent by the Bionational corporation in order to prevent the military from obtaining a Xenomorph before they could. Bueller and the rest of the androids were captured and sent to the surface together with the Bionational mercenaries. Bueller and his squad were herded into a hive in order to serve as bait for impregnation. However, due to their android nature, the eggs were not triggered to release Face- huggers as they did not sense a viable host nearby. Unharmed, Bueller and the others left the hive. Meanwhile, the mercenaries outside were attacked by indigenous flying creatures and fled inside the hive where they were decimated by the Xenomorphs. Following their programming that forced

41 them to save human lives no matter the circumstances, Bueller and his comrades decided to rescue the mercenaries. Before entering the hive, Bueller said his goodbyes to Billie via his video feed, confessing his love for her. Inside the hive, the androids were viciously mauled by the Xenomorphs. It was then that the android identity was revealed not only to Billie, but also to the synthetics themselves: Bueller was ripped in half and reacted with great shock and disgust to the sight of his synthetic innards. Bueller and a handful of other survivors were extracted from the hive and reached the safety of the nearby dropship. During the journey back to Earth, Bueller struggled with his self-disgust and Billie's distraught reaction. Eventually, however, the two overcame this crisis when they discovered that what mat- tered was the fact their love for each other was real.

4. Return and departure

After the Benedict had landed at one of the last military facilities on Earth left in the wake of a global Xenomorph infestation, Bueller was taken to the rehab laboratory by scientists under the pretense of repairing him. In truth, however, the personnel was only interested in cannibalizing Bueller and other synthetics for spare parts. Bueller managed to hide from the scientists long enough to be retrieved by Billie and Wilks. Together, they boarded a semi-automated cargo vessel named the American and left Earth for deep space.

5. Destination unknown

The following journey was a time of introspection for Bueller, struggling not only with his relationship with Billie but also with his very own identity. Because of this, Bueller reacted distant to Billie and relegated himself to the starboard computer access where he unsuccessfully tried to hack into navigation. The android also took the opportunity to enact makeshift repairs on his body, sealing the bottom of his torso with medifoam and rewiring his circulatory systems. When a Xenomorph presence was discovered aboard the American, Bueller assisted Wilks and Billie with tracking down the Aliens using his terminal access. He also killed the last Drone, which had been discovered in the engine exhaust port by Billie, by igniting the thrusters. Upon arrival at Third Base, Bueller was placed inside Rehab, an isolated section of the research facilities, where he was retrofitted with a walking-frame. Later, Bueller used his computer skills to assist in Wilks' takeover of Third Base and the control of the detained loyalists. He continued to monitor the situation from Environmental Control and helped his friends or hampered the enemy's advance. When Wilks and Billie were captured by Spears' men inside the hangar bay, Bueller freed them by setting the light power to maximum, temporarily blinding the Amplite-equipped soldiers. However, Bueller was left behind at Third Base when Wilks and Billie got trapped aboard the departing MacArthur. In a last conversation over the comm system, Bueller managed to say goodbye to Wilks and Billie. His final fate is unknown. (A:B1 – O, A:B2 - NA)

Bug Feeders: A movement that was active on Earth during the time when the planet was abandoned to Xenomorphs during the global infestation in the 2190s. Bug Feeders abducted humans to offer them to the Xenomorphs for impregnation, even going as far as laying ambushes and traps. Whether this group was motivated by religious fanaticism or was telepathically influenced by Xenomorph Queens is not entirely proven, although it is highly likely that both scenarios apply. Amy and her uncle Burt had a run-in with Bug Feeders during their struggle for survival. (A:B2 - NA)

42 Bulbosus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in an additional row of bulbous acid sacs covering the top of their carapaces and a smaller row of additional sacs on the front of its skull. (A:CMVG)

Bull Alien: A Xenomorph sub-species bred from a bull-like creature that has infested the Earth colony TerraForm 3. The hive of this breed had spread to a considerable size of 81 workers led by one Queen. The Bull Alien was a massive creature that sported two large horns on its forehead that it used to ram into its victims and was able to run at a speed of up to 49 miles per hour. However, this breed had a low tolerance against heat and fire of a maximum of 327 degrees Fahrenheit. (KAF)

Bultmann: A male human and part of the replacement staff used by Weyland-Yutani to root out a spy at a research facility on C-3 L/M in the early thirties of the 23rd century. Bultmann was later killed together with the rest of the replacement staff and the spy as part of a faked Alien infestation at the station that was staged by the Company to take over its rival Planetus in 2232. These events were part of the C-3 L/M incident. (A:NE)

Burke, Carter J.: A male human working as a representative of Weyland-Yutani by 2179. Behind an unassuming and friendly demeanor, Burke hid a cold, calculating and ruthless personality. Has at one time worked in sales. Was involved in the Hadley's Hope incident.

1. Hidden agenda

When Ripley has been found drifting through the core systems in 2179, Weyland-Yutani sent Burke to Gateway Station where Ripley was brought for recovery. Burke acted as a liaison to Ripley and helped her to get back on track for the impending interrogation by the ICC, getting clearance for her pet cat Jones and even providing her with information about the fate of Ripley's daughter Amanda. After the information from Ripley's report had been evaluated, Burke passed the coordinates of the derelict to Hadley's Hope in order to verify her story.

2. The Hadley's Hope incident

When contact broke off with LV-426, Burke visited Ripley together with Lieutenant Gorman to convince her to join a recon mission to the colony. Burke himself joined this mission on the pretense on assessing the state of Weyland-Yutani investments in the colony. After the exploration of the hive had ended in disaster, Burke opposed the decision to evacuate and destroy the colony, but was forced to back off. Eventually, Ripley discovered Burke's role in the Xenomorph outbreak, and his true intentions to secure the Xenomorph for research were revealed. Later, Burke released two Facehuggers contained in stasis tubes in the medical wing of the colony, planning to get Ripley and Newt, who were sleeping nearby, impregnated and smuggle the Xenomorph embryos inside them back to Earth. His plan failed and Burke was facing execution when the Xenomorphs overran the command center. Burke tried to steal away during the attack and was captured by a Xenomorph and taken to the hive. Burke died in the explosion of the Atmosphere Processor soon after. (A2)

Burt: A male human and one of the countless individuals fighting for survival during the Xenomorph infestation in the 2190s. Born in the early 22nd century. During the dark times, Burt formed a group with a young woman named Mona and her daughter, a little girl named Amy, and other survivors. Burt was especially fond of Amy and developed a paternal relationship with her, which would earn him the nickname “Uncle” Burt. . He often made scavenging and scouting trips

43 on which Amy often accompanied him. Eventually, Burt got access to Earths main transmitter and began recording and broadcasting his findings on a regular basis. Further details are sketchy, but Burt's transmission eventually reached as far as to the remote Third Base facility, where a woman named Billie happened to watch two broadcasts during the Spears incident in 2193. The first recording showed Burt and Amy huddled together around a campfire amidst city ruins. Their rest was interrupted by an aerial bombardment of the area, causing them to flee inside the buildings, where the uplink was cut off. In the second broadcast, Burt, Amy and man named Ray stumble upon a group of Bug Feeders delivering victims to an Alien Queen. The group is discovered, and the recording is cut off, leaving the fate of the survivors uncertain. It was only when Billie was watching a recent broadcast on Gateway Station that she discovered that Burt and Amy were alive and well. Burt showed footage of a giant Egg Silo that has been erected in the ruins. He also reported that the city was now firmly under Xenomorph control, with most humans either dead or having fallen under the thrall of the Queen's telepathic calling. Burt stated that the this calling had become so strong that he was able to physically perceive the signal.

Byzantium Station: A space station acting as a trading post situated in the border regions of known space. Byzantium Station was the final station to be raided by Ripley 8 and the reformed crew of the Betty during their quest for information about the Loki organization in the mid 80s of the 24 th century. The mainframe of the station contained valuable data about Loki's next plan, the infestation of Domes Epsilon, and enabled the crew of the Betty to finally catch up with the elusive organization. (A:OS)

*** C ***

C-3 L/M: A planet which was acquired by Weyland-Yutani and Planetus in 2227. As it was located far enough from any previous Xenomorph infestation, it was deemed a valuable and safe ground for colonization, terraforming and research by both corporations, who carved up the planet between them and settled on a policy of mutual ignorance. Following the acquisition, a vast network of terraformers was installed on the planet's surface on both halves of C-3 L/M, the only shared facility being a spaceport. Soon, the planets surface was converted into a habitable environment with a moderate climate. In the meantime, Weyland-Yutani set up a research facility near the border to Planetus territory that soon began to emanate strange readings. Rumors of a new prototype of terraformer being the cause for the readings surfaced, prompting Planetus to insert spies into the facility. In 2232, a scheme by Weyland-Yutani involving a staged incident at this research station led the public to believe that a Xenomorph presence had been found on C-3 L/M. Authorities moved in to investigate while Wey- land-Yutani reassured the public that the Alien threat had been eliminated. Meanwhile, Weyland- Yutani had taken over Planetus, which placed C-3 L/M fully under the Company's control. (A:NE)

C-3 L/M incident: A unique case of an intentionally faked Xenomorph infestation in 2232 that led to the downfall of the Planetus Corporation and its subsequent acquisition by its rival Weyland-Yu- tani.

1. Acquisition of C-3 L/M

In 2227, Planetus spent a major part of its resources to acquire the planet C-3 L/M, a planet that promised to be a fertile ground for terraforming and research. However, Weyland-Yutani was also interested in the planet, and eventually, C-3 L/M was split in half between the two corporations. In-

44 teractions between the two was kept to a minimum, mainly limited to a shared spaceport on the planet. Of course, both still kept a close eye on each other.

2. Spying on Weyland-Yutani

The first few years went without any major disturbance. Terraformers were installed on each half of the planet, quickly transforming the surface into a habitable environment. One day, however, Plane- tus began receiving strange readings from a Weyland-Yutani research station near the border to Planetus territory. Rumors surfaced about a new terraformer prototype being the cause for these readings. Concerned, Planetus inserted two of their spies into the staff of the research station, a human called Tobin A. Marshall and a synth of the LaFargue production line, both unaware of each other. Both agents had recording devices implanted into their eyes, and Marshall proceeded to record his findings in front of a mirror inside his cabin on a regular basis. After several attempts to get close to the prototype, Marshall found out that there wasn't any prototype present to begin with. Adding to the mystery was that the staff of scientists was gradually reassigned on dubious grounds and replaced with inexperienced workers. When only the two spies were left, LaFargue approached Marshall, revealing himself to be another Planetus spy and urging them to cooperate. But before they could act, a Weyland-Yutani strike team led by Charles Braley raided the facility and captured the two spies. Braley revealed that Weyland-Yutani had been aware of the presence of spies for some time and had been filtering out the staff until only two suspects remained. Braley tortured Marshall and the synth before he proceeded with the next phase of the master plan: Using robotic replications of the Chestburster Alien, he killed Marshall and the new staff and reported to Planetus that their research station had fallen victim to what seemed to be a Xenomorph infestation.

3. Murder investigation

Planetus quickly sent a team to investigate the incident together with Braley, who feigned honest interest to solve this case. This team consisted of a Sleeper called Anders Kramm, a former investigator of Alien outbreaks for Weyland-Yutani, Frances Stauff, second-in-command for the local Plane- tus security forces, Bjorn and Jolena Heyward, a married couple working as a weapons team, and a team of three technicians called Gavin, Duncan and Kelly. While the latter proceeded to analyze the security cam footage of the research station, Kramm and Stauff went to the facility with Braley and the Heywards to work on-site. Kramm quickly noticed that something didn't add up and, using a download device provided by Planetus, retrieved the recordings from Marshall's eye. Back at the spaceport, Kramm and Stauff reviewed the material, discovering the truth behind the supposed infestation.

4. Corporate takeover

However, Braley had already planted a real Alien inside their spaceship and, assuming that this would take care of the two Planetus investigators, reported their deaths to the authorities and the media. The news caused Planetus stocks to plummet, and Weyland-Yutani acted on the opportunity by buying out the stocks and taking over Planetus. But Kramm and Stauff had in fact survived the trap and narrowly escaped off-world after picking up the Heywards and the technicians, who were also targeted for elimination. Using the computer facilities of Planetus that were now at his disposal, Braley redirected the ship to the planet of Soulages, a former colony world that had been overrun by the Aliens and had been quarantined for the last thirty years. Kramm knew the planet, as it was the place where he had lost his family, which had caused him to leave Weyland-Yutani and become a Sleeper thirty years earlier.

45 5. Stranded on Soulages

After landing near a settlement, Kramm and the other survivors proceeded to explore the compound. They soon discovered that the layout of the settlement had been vastly transformed to house an artificial Alien hive used by Weyland-Yutani to harvest the creatures. Eventually, they reached the old common building and decided to settle down there for a rest. During the night, the Xenomorphs took two of the technicians, Duncan and Kelly. Kramm and the others found them at a central crater, only to discover that both of them had been impregnated. Knowing what would hap- pen to them was inevitable, Kramm killed both of them. The remaining survivors managed to fight their way through the hived cave systems spreading out from the crater, only to reach a locked elevator. It was at this time that Gavin, the remaining Planetus technician, revealed himself to be an android and opened the elevator door by plugging into its keypad. The elevator led them directly to communications, where they were able to load a map of the compound at the expense of Gavin's life, who was killed by a computer virus when he probed the system. The map showed Kramm and the rest the way to a nearby landing pad. After fighting many Xenomorph warriors and an Egg Har- vester, only Kramm, Stauff and a badly-injured Bjorn remained to enter the short-range flyer parked on the landing pad. Frances piloted the ship through the dome surrounding the compound and crash- landed it inside the Weyland-Yutani research installation on the nearby moon. There, they took over the facility from the small staff of scientists, send out a distress call and prepared for the retaliatory strike by Weyland-Yutani. The outcome is unknown. (A:NE)

C-8: A type of planted explosive used by the USCM corps during the Sulaco incident. (A:INF)

C-95: A potent nerve gas. While it was lethal to humans, its effect on Xenomorphs was less severe. During Weyland-Yutani's research of a Queen specimen at the Origin facility in 2179, Weyland countermanded an order to use the far more deadly C-284 for the gas dispensers in the Queen's containment chamber and instead had them armed with C-95, which would act only as a mild sedative on the creature. Therefore, when the Queen broke loose during the Origin incident, it had time to kill the entire science team in the chamber before being sedated by the C-95. (A:CMVG_SI)

C-284: An immensely potent nerve gas, capable of putting down even a Xenomorph Queen. Dr. Miller, a lead geneticist assigned to the Origin facility and entrusted with the care of the Queen specimen there, wanted to arm the gas dispenser of the creature's containment chamber with C-284, determined to exercise extreme caution. Enraged by this decision, Michael Weyland had the C-284 replaced with the weaker C-95 and terminated Miller's contract. (A:CMVG_SI)

C9: An explosive. During Patrick Massey's work relationship with Bionational, the corporation secretly implanted a C9 charge inside Massey's head. However, he secretly managed to get the charge removed and insert it into a Bionational operative. (A:B1 – O)

Cerulean: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in blue highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Calabrese: A male human and a USM soldier assigned to the security team aboard the Auriga. He was present on the ship during the breakthrough of the cloning project and at one point took down Ripley 8 together with another USM soldier, DiStephano, to prevent her from killing Dr. Wren. His final fate is unknown. (A:RES)

46 Call, Annalee: A “female type” second-generation android and member of the smuggling crews involved in the Auriga and Domes Epsilon incidents.

1. Early existence

Call was manufactured by other androids, which classifies her as an Auton. When this new type of android became problematic, Call went underground in order to escape the subsequent purge and burned her wireless modem in order to avoid detection. However, before she left Earth, Call hacked into the computer systems of the Ministry of Defense and discovered information about its involvement with the Loki organization and the Auriga project, including the connection of the project with the crew of the Betty. Call knew about the Xenomorph and the immense threat to the galaxy it posed as she had studied Morse's account of the Fiorina incident and other banned historical documents about the creature. Her programming dictated Call to protect humanity from such a danger, and she made it her mission to prevent the Xenomorph from being unleashed ever again. As the first step to reach this goal would be to kill Ripley 8 and the Xenomorph queen inside her, Call enlisted on the smuggling crew of Frank Elgyn, who had agreed to provide the Auriga research team with human hosts.

2. The Auriga incident

Once aboard the Auriga, Call sneaked away from her quarters and gained access to the cell where Ripley 8 was held. She came too late: The queen embryo had already been removed from the clone's body, and soon, the security troops caught up with Call and took her into custody. When Wren brought Call to the mess hall where the rest of the Betty's crew was present and confronted Elgyn about the incident, the situation escalated: The smugglers had just killed most of the soldiers in defense when the Xenomorph outbreak started. The crew took off to the docking bay and teamed up with Ripley 8 on the way, something to which Call strongly objected because she didn't trust the hybrid clone. Call was later shot by Wren in a shaft above the flooded kitchen. Call fell back into the water and was believed to be dead, only to reappear shortly after. Because of this and the gunshot wound exposing her innards, Call could no longer hide her android identity from the rest of the escapees. However, this revelation, which at first ashamed her, would prove vital in their escape. From the ship's chapel, Call accessed the Auriga's computer systems, unlocking the doors to the docking bay and setting the ship on a self-destruct course with Earth. She was assisted by Ripley 8, with whom she had found to have an odd kinship because of their duality. Call managed to escape the Auriga aboard the Betty and was later saved from the Newborn by Ripley 8, and with the nightmare finally over, landed on Earth with the other survivors.

3. In pursuit of Loki and the Domes Epsilon incident

However, there was still Loki to deal with. Call informed Ripley 8 about the information she had found, and soon, Call, Ripley 8, Johner and Vriess started to raid about a dozen border stations in order to access their data banks in hopes of finding more information about Loki. During these raids, it was Call's unique ability to hack into a computer that assigned her the role of retrieving the actual information, usually protected by Ripley 8, while the rest of the crew would distract the security personnel and prepare their escape. Eventually, the terminal at Byzantium Station provided Call and Ripley 8 with the information they had searched for so long: Loki's next target, the botanic space colony Domes Epsilon, which it had targeted for a Xenomorph infestation. After arriving at Domes Epsilon, Call was part of the team that entered the station and met up with the colonists in the control center. There, Call and Ripley 8 managed to convince the group of the danger they were

47 in. As Ripley 8 and Johner departed to investigate the backup bay as a means of escape, Call accompanied Adrian Shepherd, the security officer of Domes Epsilon, to pick up a stray colonist called Benedict. After finding Benedict's dead body and having sighted a Xenomorph, both returned to the control center, only to find out that the extent of the Xenomorph infestation was far greater than anticipated. Shortly before the survivors would reach the backup bay, Call and the rest got scattered in the jungle during a Xenomorph ambush. However, the android managed to secure one of the flivver vehicles together with Johner. Together, they picked up the remaining survivors and managed to reach the Betty safely. Aboard the ship, Call learned from the interrogation of the Loki android agent Cody that other androids like her had survived the Auton Purge, something she had thought impossible before, and were now under Loki control. Aside from exterminating the Xenomorph threat, Call now had another, more personal mission: She promised Cody to find and rescue these androids, and Cody in turn provided her and Ripley 8 with their locations and information about Loki and his own role in the Domes Epsilon incident. (A:RES, A:OS)

Cameron, John: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Duke”. Cameron was born in the late 2140s. During his teenage years, Cameron's leadership skills emerged, earning him the positions of star quarterback and class vice president in high school. However, Cameron had always wanted to go to space and thus visited college courses for a Terra- farmer engineering career, only to discover that this avenue was not exciting enough for his taste. Therefore, Cameron enlisted into USCM service and found it to be the perfect working place for him. By the time of the Sulaco incident in 2179, Cameron had risen to the rank of Corporal. During the incident, he was leading the original roster of Fire Team Fox, which was tasked with locating the life signal an advance team had detected on the Sulaco. Cameron would continue to play an important role during the incident. (A:INF)

Camp Hanneken: A USCM training facility for advanced hostile environments located at Valles Marineris, Mars. A notable example for USCM soldiers undergoing training at Camp Hanneken was Jeremy Cruz. (A:CMVG)

Canberra: The capital city of Australia. In 2182, Canberra was hit by massive food riots. The crisis ended in tragedy when the city was destroyed by the authorities with a nuclear strike. (A:B1 - NA)

Capelli Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-2290.01. Established in 2068, it would boast a population of 1.6 million by 2071. The colony's main industrial sector was terraforming and quickly became the first manufacturer of next generation Atmosphere Processors. Further industrial sectors were mining and refining. Key resources were aluminum, titanium, hydrogen and palladium. (PR:WIW)

Capes, D.: One of the USCM marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Pri- vate First Class at the time. Participated in the initial foray into the Sulaco and was killed when the section of the ship he was in suffered an explosive decompression. (A:CMVG)

Carbocon: An artificial nutrient. Not very tasty. Often found in military emergency supplies. (A:B2 - NA)

Carly: A female human. During the early 2180s, Carly spent her youth living on the colony world Ferro and was friends with Billie and another girl named Mag. (A:B1 – O)

48 Case #23325: The case number assigned by Dr. Orona to Maria Gonzales, one of the individuals afflicted by Xenomorph-related nightmares in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Case #232337: The case number assigned by Dr. Orona to Thomas Culp, one of the individuals haunted by Xenomorph-related nightmares shortly before the Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Case # 232558: The case number assigned by Dr. Orona to T.M. Duncan, one of the civilians troubled by Xenomorph-related nightmares during the prelude to Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Case # 232745: The case number assigned by Dr. Orona to C. Lockwood, one of the individuals affected by Xenomorph-related nightmares during the prelude to Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Castro, R.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

Cataphractus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in the development of a central row of large spikes running down the top of the skull. Additionally, the front dome is missing, and the rudimentary remains of the original host species' skull are exposed. This mutation is notable as it shares characteristics with the unique Xenomorph specimen named the Raven. (A:CMVG)

Caterpillar P-5000 Powerloader: A powerloader used by both civilian and military organizations, including the USCM, at the end of the 22nd century. Design and layout originates from an early Weyland Industries model from the 2070s. Requires at least a Class-2 license to operate. The P- 5000 is capable of handling loads up to 4 tons and was designed to accommodate the movement capabilities of a human, with articulation points at the joints and the hip section. The manipulators can be fully rotated and feature attachment points for various tools, such as a welding torch. The P-5000 also has a gyro-stabilizing system to prevent toppling and can additionally be loaded with up to 250 kilograms of ballast to provide a secure footing. (A2, A:INF, CMTM, A:CMVG)

C Company: A company of soldiers assisting in the evacuation of one of the remaining last military outposts situated near Galveston, Texas, during the Earth War in 2193. After the return of the Benedict, C Company was deployed as reinforcements to the pickets. (A:B1 – O)

Celestial Defense Platform: A large weapon turret designed to defend ground targets from enemy starships in orbit and high atmosphere. One notable example for a Celestial Defense Platform is the BP-33 AAC Gun, which was used by the UPP to defend its outpost on LV-426 during the Sulaco incident in 2179. (A:INF)

Ceman: A member of the USCM contingent stationed at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. Assigned to First Platoon, Company A, Ceman was among the soldiers who accompanied Spears to the terraformer colony to deal with a group of soldiers gone AWOL. (A:B2 - NA)

Ceratos: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in a large crest-like carapace accentu- ated by a large horn and tusk-like appendage on the front side of its skull. (A:CMVG)

CERN: The European Organisation for Nuclear Research. Founded in 1954. Consisted of over 20 European member states as of 2011. Operated one of Earth's largest particle physics laboratories,

49 situated near Geneva, Switzerland. Eventually, CERN ran out of governmental funds and was acquired by Weyland Industries on September 18, 2029, including its Geneva facility. (PR:WIW)

Chad: A human male. Brother to Marla and brother-in-law to Patrick Massey. (A:B1 – O)

Chadwick, S.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Ori- gin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

Chance: A male human who was part of the crew of the research vessel Prometheus during its ill- fated mission to LV-223 in 2093, known as the LV-223 incident. Served under Janek's command together with Ravel as a navigator of the ship. Additionally, Chance was Janek's right hand, accompanying him to the Engineer pyramid on the search and rescue mission for Fifield and Millburn, and later helped with dispatching the mutated Fifield. Chance later died together with Janek and Ravel during the Prometheus' suicide run on the departing Juggernaut. (PR)

Charlie Squad: The USCM squad tasked with the investigation of the Sulaco during the Sulaco incident in 2179. Consisted of at least six fire teams, including Fire Team Delta, Fire Team Echo and Fire Team Fox, of which the latter would play a vital role during the events of the incident. (A:INF)

Charlotte: A city in the United States of America. As virtually all of Earth, Charlotte was overrun by Xenomorphs during the global infestation in the 2190s. During his stay aboard the cargo carrier American in 2193, shortly before the Spears incident, Wilks received a transmission from Charlotte, from where a civilian named Hermann Koch reported the dire situation of the survivors. (A:B2 - NA)

Chau, Mei-Lin: A female human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident. Nicknamed “Beta”. Chau was born around 2160 and grew up in a peaceful and quiet suburb. However, she longed for the big city, a desire which manifested itself in an interest for technology, especially computers. By the age of 16, Chau had become a self-taught programmer and an active part in the hacker community. During a job fair at her school, she learned that she could put her talent to use in USCM service. At the age of 18, Chau enlisted into USCM service. After completing her training, she became part of 2nd battalion, 9th regiment, in the capacity of an Infantry Tech Specialist. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Chau was ranked Private First Class. During an engagement on Phobos, she was separated from her fire team, but later joined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Chaveler, A.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Ori- gin incident in 2179. Was ranked Lieutenant at the time. (A:CMVG)

Chayton: A male human and a member of the USCM team involved in the Thanatos incident in the 2170s. At the time of the incident, Chayton was 22 years old and ranked Private. Chayton was part of a team of four marines led by Corporal Brooke that killed the Xenomorph Queen inside the hive located inside the living quarters. Afterward, Chayton and his team escaped to safety shortly before the Thanatos self-destructed. (A:TE)

Chemical_A0-3959X.91 – 15_: A designation given to the Black Goo by Weyland Industries scientists during their evaluation of data analyzed in the aftermath of the LV-223 incident. (PR)

50 Cheng, J.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

Chestburster: The second stage of the Xenomorph life-cycle. Snake-like in appearance, a Chest- burster is no longer than 30 centimeters and lacks fully-developed limps, with the exception of a Queen Chestburster. A Xenomorph in its Chestburster stage is quite vulnerable and can only rely on speed and stealth to survive, leaving only its sharp teeth as a means of defense. After a Facehugger has impregnated a host, the embryo gestates in the chest region of the organism (hence its name), slowly draining its resources to grow. Using fluids and nutrients from the host, it builds itself a new placenta that is cancerous in nature, sealing the fate of the host regardless of a surgical attempt to remove the Chestburster. When the embryo has fully developed into the Chest- burster stage, it literally bites its way out, resulting in the death of the host. After it has freed itself from the body, its instincts command it to go into hiding where it will grow into an adult Xenomorph in a matter of hours, shedding its skin an unknown number of times in the process. Re- ports remain ambiguous whether a Chestburster requires additional food to complete this transformation.

Chin: A male-type android who participated in the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in 2192. Chin was constructed as part of a military program to create combat synthetics who acted and felt like human beings in order to facilitate interaction with regular soldiers. In 2191, Chin and his “siblings” entered combat training, forming First Squad, Fox Platoon, Company Able, 1st Extee Divi- sion, Second Colonial Marines. In 2192, Chin and his squad were assigned to the Benedict's expedition to the Xenomorph Homeworld. During this mission, Chin was destroyed during a fight with Xenomorphs inside a hive structure on the surface of the planet. (A:B1 – O)

Chiu Outpost: A colony on Gliese 876 c. Founded in 2048 and housing a population of over 14 million by the year 2071. The colony's industry consisted of energy, manufacturing and transportation, its key resources being uranium, iron and mercury. (PR:WIW)

Chlorpromazine: A psychoactive drug used to treat psychosis and schizophrenia. Was used during the late stages of Billie's treatment at Feildcrest Home in the 2190s. (A:B1 – O)

Christie: A male human and a member of the band of smugglers involved in the Auriga incident. Armed himself with two concealed handguns attached to a wrist brace mechanism that allowed him to slide the guns into his hands when needed. Christie carried Vriess on his back when the group of survivors had to traverse the flooded kitchen on their escape. While climbing a ladder in a shaft adjacent to the kitchen, a Xenomorph grabbed Christie's foot and severely injured him by spitting a stream of acid into his face. Although he managed to kill the creature, its body still clung to him. Christie sacrificed himself by cutting himself loose from Vriess, causing him and the dead Xenomorph to fall down into the water and thus releasing Vriess from the heavy weight that threatened to pull him down along with him. (A:RES)

Church of Immaculate Incubation: A cult led by a man named Salvaje that worshipped the Xenomorph and considered the impregnation by an Alien as an event of transcendence and a divine blessing. Was active during the late 22nd century. After growing to a considerable size, counting thousands of members, the Church triggered a global Xenomorph infestation on Earth in 2192 by raiding a Bionational facility in Lima where a Xenomorph Queen was being held at the time. Dur-

51 ing the raid, several members sported the tattoo of a Xenomorph Drone, though it is unknown whether all members had received this tattoo or only those participating in the attack. (A:B1 – O)

Clarison, Bella: A female human and a soldier serving in the USCM corps. Born in Waterloo, Iowa, Earth on December 26, 2153. Was ranked Private by 2179 and was involved in the Origin incident in the same year.

1. Early service in the USCM corps

Recruited from her hometown, Clarison was assigned to the second colonial support group. She proved to be a capable soldier, with skills that would recommend her for recon or first response duties. Participated in a military campaign launched from O'Niell Station and was awaiting orders for her second tour of duty when she was assigned to the 118th battalion aboard the USS Sephora to investigate the rediscovered Sulaco over LV-426. Prior to this mission, Clarison had a sexual relationship with another marine named O'Neal, who would also participate in the mission to the Sulaco.

2. The beginning of the Origin incident

After arriving at the destination, Clarison was assigned to team Rhino 2-3 with the objective to board the Sulaco and retrieve the flight recorder. However, after arriving on the ship, Rhino 2-3 was attacked by Xenomorphs. During the attack, Clarison was captured and impregnated. After the impregnation was complete, Clarison regained consciousness and contacted O'Neal, who had been part of Rhino 2-3 as well. Exhausted and confused, Clarison chose to hide in her location, a storage room near cargo bay 3, until rescue would arrive. From her hideout, Clarison learned of the presence of Weyland-Yutani PMCs aboard the ship and notified her comrades about the identity of the assailant. Eventually, Clarison was picked up by fellow marines Winter and O'Neal and participated in their doomed attempt to save the Sephora by deactivating the Sulaco's weapon systems. With the Sephora destroyed and the Sulaco damaged beyond repair, Clarison, Winter and O'Neal made their way to the extraction point in a cargo bay and managed to escape the destruction together with her teammates. However, a piece of debris hit the dropship, and the group was forced to crash-land on LV-426.

3. The shocking truth

On the surface of the barren world, Clarison was confronted with a shocking truth: The Bishop model accompanying the marines informed her that she had been impregnated and that she soon would die by giving birth to a Xenomorph. Devastated by the revelation, Clarison nonetheless continued performing her duties and helped setting up a command post in the ruins of Hadley's Hope. After an initial Xenomorph assault had been repelled, Clarison was ordered to assist her comrade Reid in establishing a long-wave signal in order to recall all surviving marines to the colony. Near their destination, the two were attacked and separated. Winter and O'Neal arrived just in time to rescue Clarison and Reid and ensured that the two women could accomplish their mission. A tenuous bond developed between Clarison and Reid that was put to test when O'Neal went missing during a fight with the Xenomorphs. While Clarison wanted to immediately go after her friend and former lover, Reid strongly opposed the idea, deeming the mission too risky. When Winter agreed with Clarison, Reid reluctantly gave in, and the team went hunting after O'Neal's signal. The group eventually found and saved the missing marine, but tensions between Clarison and Reid were reignited during a heated argument. Furious about Reid having wanted to leave O'Neal behind, Clarison even

52 pointed her gun at Reid, and it was only due to Winter's and O'Neal's intervention that the argument did not escalate.

4. Futile rescue

Back at the command post, Winter and O'Neal got permission to take Clarison to the nearby Wey- land-Yutani research station to extract the Xenomorph embryo inside her in exchange for retrieving a personnel manifest. After successfully infiltrating the compound and extracting the manifest, the team got an additional objective, to free a surviving marine from the Sulaco who had been captured by Wey-Yu. Even while her condition worsened, Clarison put the rescue of the marine before her life, demanding from O'Neal the promise to accomplish this mission, no matter what happened to her. The group finally reached a medical laboratory, only to learn from a staff member that saving Clarison was impossible. Clarison took the news calmly and died moments later when the Chest- burster erupted from her chest. (A:CMVG)

Clarke, Lauren: A female human serving as a ranking officer aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in late 2179. (A:CMVG)

Claro: A star system. One planet in the system is Titus-Carmel 7. (A:NE)

Class-VII Spidersilk Armor: A heavy personnel armor, able to withstand fire from an M41-E Car- bine. (A:B1 – O)

Clauss, Brian: A male human and a member of the team of scientists assigned to the cloning project aboard the Auriga in the late 24th century. It is unknown whether Kinloch escaped the Au- riga during the Xenomorph outbreak in 2381 or died aboard the ship. (A:RES)

Clemens, Jonathan: A male human serving as a physician in the penal colony on Fiorina 161 during the Fury 16 incident in 2179. Born in Redditch, Worchestershire, United Kingdoms on October 10, 2128.

1. Early life

Clemens was once a promising young medicine student and acquired his doctor's license some time before 2169. However, he also had secretly developed an alcohol and Morphium addiction, and his career would come to an end in 2169. Doctor Clemens was called in for a medical emergency situation after a fuel gas station had exploded. Clemens was intoxicated at that time and thus made a fatal mistake in prescribing the wrong dose of painkillers. Because of that, eleven people died. Clemens had his doctor's degree revoked and was reduced to a class 3-C medical license. Subse- quently, he was sent to the Fiorina 161 penal colony, sentenced to seven years in prison. Clemens served this sentence and decided to stay on Fiorina 161 afterward to continue working in his profession.

2. The Fury 16 incident

When Ripley's EEV crashed into the ocean adjacent to the prison facility, it was Clemens who witnessed the accident and found and carried Ripley to the complex for treatment. He informed An- drews of the incident, supervised Ripley's recovery and filled her in about her current situation and life on Fury 16, even agreeing to let Ripley explore the facility under his supervision. He later acted

53 against Superintendent Andrews' orders when he performed an autopsy on Newt on Ripley's request. This further worsened his relationship with Andrews, which was problematic enough as it was. Clemens was also called to provide his opinion on the mysterious death of Murphy and pointed Ripley to the scrapyard where Bishop's remains had been brought. During this time, Clemens and Ripley had developed a sexual relationship and also a degree of trust on Clemens' side, who let her in on his tragic past. Ripley on the other hand was unable to trust Clemens completely, refusing to reveal the signs of a Xenomorph threat to him. Clemens had just told his story to Ripley when the Xenomorph appeared in the infirmary and killed him. (A3)

Climacus: A Stinger-class cruiser built in the seventies of the 22nd century. The Climacus and its crew landed on the planet Soulages in the first decade of the 23rd century, years after the world had been quarantined due to a Xenomorph infestation. Abandoned by its original crew and stripped by scavengers, it was discovered by the survivors of the C-3 L/M incident in 2232 near a settlement which had been turned into an artificial Alien hive by Weyland-Yutani. (A:NE)

Climate Control: A term describing technology used to influence climate and weather conditions on a massive scale. By the end of the 22nd century, humanity was in possession of Climate Control technology, although it was limited to worlds with an advanced human presence. (A:B2 - NA)

CMA code: A piece of software code used to retroactively change log entries in order to deal with unforeseen events, depicting the specific person as having been aware of the events before. Fit- tingly, CMA is an abbreviation for Cover My Ass. During the Benedict mission in 2192, Wilks suggested to Stephen to use such a code in order to account for the presence of Billie, a stowaway Wilks had smuggled on board. (A:B1 – O)

CMC: Abbreviation for Colonial Marine Corps. (A:B1 – O)

Coast Guard: An organization tasked with destroying hazardous space debris orbiting Earth before it can enter the atmosphere. Was founded after the destruction of Hawaii due to the impact of partial construction ship wreckage. Besides using spacecraft for investigation and demolition, the Coast Guard also had armed satellites at its disposal. Became notable when the Coast Guard cutter Dutton discovered an old freighter named Junket in orbit of Earth in 2192. Although both ships were destroyed during the investigation, the Dutton was able to retrieve the Junket's data banks and thus provide EarthGov with the location of the Xenomorph Homeworld. In 2193, the Coast Guard satellites were used to enforce the quarantine of Australia during the Earth War. (A:B1 – O)

Cody, Earl: A male-type android and a Loki agent involved in the Domes Epsilon incident during the mid-80s of the 24th century. Cody was one of the androids who had survived the Auton Purge, but was later captured and reprogrammed by Loki to serve as their agent. When Loki targeted the botanic space colony Domes Ep- silon to serve as a breeding ground for Xenomorphs, it inserted Cody into the staff of the station in order to ensure the success of the operation. In case of failure, Loki also programmed subroutines into Cody that prevented him to directly reveal his mission to others. During the time prior to the incident, Cody struck the other colonists as an unassuming and friendly individual. Shortly before the arrival of the Betty at Domes Epsilon, Cody witnessed the birth of the Chestburster that had been gestating inside the staff member Elijah Pandor according to plan. He then proceeded to sabotage the communications systems of the station in order to prevent the colonists from receiving outside help. However, the Betty managed to cut its way into the Domes and convince the personnel to evacuate. Some time after Ripley 8 and Johner had checked the backup bay as a means of escape,

54 Cody also sabotaged this part of the station. However, the survivor's never got to the backup bay as their convoy was ambushed by Xenomorphs. Cody was picked up by Call together with Gogolac and brought to the Betty. Aboard, he tried a last attempt to accomplish his directives and tried to overwhelm the crew members aboard the ship. His attempt failed, and he was subdued, revealing his android identity in the process. Later, Cody was interrogated by Ripley 8 and Call, who agreed to cooperate in exchange for Call's promise to free the other androids under Loki's control. He proceeded to reveal his role in the incident and the endgame of Loki and the Mala'kak as best as his programming would allow him. However, a fail-safe function was already degrading his basic functions, quickly rendering him useless for further information extraction. (A:OS)

Coleman, Michael: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Five-Pack”. Coleman was born in the mid-2140s. An extraordinarily eager and ambitious soldier, he joined the corps immediately after graduating from high school. On numerous occasions, Coleman volunteered for the position of squad leader. Eventually, he was deployed on Linna 349 where he regularly acted as point-man. It was during this assignment that Coleman showed signs of PTSD. How- ever, he dismissed offers of help from medical personnel and instead tried to ignore the symptoms and focus solely on his work, without much success. Only when he was transferred to 2nd battalion, 9th regiment at his own behest was he able to put some distance to the past events and begin recovery. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Coleman was ranked Lance Corporal. During a skirmish on the Sulaco, he was separated from his comrades, but later joined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Collectors: A sentient species belonging to the mysterious Mala'kak collective. The term was coined by Dr. Waidslaw Orona in his study “Theory of Alien Propagation” to refer to sentient beings collecting Xenomorph eggs for their own purposes. The pilots of the vessels that crashed on LV-426 and Rim are possible examples of Mala'kak Collectors. A living individual was also encountered by mankind during the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in 2192. Though roughly humanoid in shape, the Collectors look far more alien than their kin, the Engineers. Roughly seven to eight meters tall, these beings are far more bulky and possess an elephant-like trunk and eyes with cross-shaped pupils, lending them a void quality for human observers. The lifeform also possessed telepathic abilities, being able to project thoughts into other minds and also read them, although this skill is limited to thoughts openly broadcast and is unable to perform deep scans. Interestingly, although the creatures operated the same bio-organic-looking U-shaped vessels as the Engineers, the biosuits used by these particular kind of beings are much more conventional in their design. A Collector is able to hover several centimeters above the ground, but it is unknown whether this an inherent telekinetic ability of the species or achieved by technical means. Nothing is known about the homeworld of the Collectors, other than they thrive in cold climates, given the nature of the attempted terraforming of Earth in the 2190s. Characteristic to the species is its intense hatred of the Xenomorph, possibly harkening back to the possible genocide it had suffered at its hands billions of years ago. As with all aspects concerning the Mala'kak, the history of the Collectors is shrouded in mystery. However, the telepathic contact between a woman named Billie and the Collector encountered during the Benedict mission revealed that Collector had visited the Xenomorph Homeworld to harvest Xenomorphs in the past. Given this fact, it is probable that the wreckages on LV-426 and Rim responsible for the Xenomorph outbreaks are of Collector origin. In 2192, the survivors of the Bene- dict mission encountered a living Collector on the surface of the Xenomorph Homeworld, who had unexpectedly appeared and single-handedly obliterated a Xenomorph swarm threatening to over-

55 whelm the humans. Afterward, the being made telepathic contact with Billie, communicating the intense hatred for the Xenomorphs and past visits of his race to the planet. Hoping that the being would help defeat the Xenomorph infestation that consumed Earth at the time, the survivors traveled back home together with the Collector. However, the being had no interest in assisting mankind. Instead, it took up position in Earth's orbit and initiated a terraforming process, intending to eventually take the planet for its own race. (A:B1 – O)

Colonial Marines: An abbreviated term used to refer to the USCM corps. (A2)

Coming, The: An event central to the beliefs of the Church of Immaculate Incubation, a Xenomorph-worshipping cult active during the 2190s. Refers to the unleashing of the Xenomorph and the consumption of mankind by it. (A:B1 – O)

Company, The: A popular colloquial term used to refer to Weyland Industries and later the Wey- land-Yutani corporation.

Concordov, William: A male human and a spokesperson for Weyland Industries. A statement of Concordov was included in the corporation's press release announcing the Prometheus-class space exploration vessel in 2072. On December 23 of the same year, Concordov issued a public statement regarding the excellent testing performance and the overwhelming preorder numbers of the upcom- ing David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Conestoga-class space transport: A class of military transport vessels used by the USCM corps in the 60s and 70s of the 22nd century. While being the corps' main instrument for moving and deploying troops across the far reaches of space, the Conestoga has also proven its value in a variety of other roles, like space combat and orbital bombardment. Famous examples of a Conestoga-class ship are the Sulaco, which was involved in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179, and the Sephora, which played a vital part in the USCM's efforts to retrieve the Sulaco later that year. By this time, 27 of the 36 ships of the class that had been originally built remained in military service while the rest had been retrofitted for commercial use.

1. General layout and life support

With a length of over 385 meters and a mass of 78.000 tons, the Conestoga is, despite its relatively light armament, an impressive sight. The ship's armor is relatively heavy for a transport, sporting a single armored “skin” consisting of multiple layers to provide protection against various kinds of damage. The spacious cargo area is accessed by 5 external loading doors and enhanced with two exterior crane tracks. This area is connected with the launch hangar below, which can support up to four shuttles. The Conestoga provides cryosleep facilities for 90 passengers, although the cargo hold can be outfitted with up to 2000 additional tubes for massive troop deployments. Additional life- support features are an adjustable artificial gravity system and inertial dampeners. The ship is outfitted with 20 EEVs, should the need for an evacuation arise.

2. Power, propulsion and computer systems

Power to all systems, including the engines, is provided by a Westingland A-59 fusion reactor, its fuel capacity of 900 tons of lithium-hydride sufficient for one year. In case of critical damages, the whole reactor assembly can be jettisoned into space. An array of four Continental Electric AS-4B and AV5 series Magnetohydrodynamic turbines serve as backup generators. The drive section of the

56 Conestoga is outfitted for both sublight speed, using four Gates-Heichmann GF-240 rocket motors, and FTL travel with a Romberg-Rockwell Cygnus-5 hyperdrive tachyon shunt, which is regulated by 480-510 mTY tachyon field accelerators and provides speeds of up to 0,74 light years per day. To reduce the workload of the crew, the Conestoga class systems, controlled by a 28 terabyte Car- bon 60 core mainframe situated behind the flight deck, are fully automated, with override and access options available at any time from one of the computer terminals across the ship. Auxiliary options are an 8 terabyte backup core and a third, localized backup system. The command options include a self-destruct option with a delay of 15 minutes.

3. Sensors, communication and stealth measures

Most of the Conestoga's sensors are placed in a phalanx of antennas on the front of the ship. Up to 90 meters in length, these antennas include two optical telescopes, two infrared telescopes and a 60- meter-long planar radio telescope which is supported by a 20 meter-long passive backup antenna. Active sensors consist of 3 main radomes for navigation and deep-space scanning with an effective range of up to 80.000 kilometers. 5 dedicated weapon radars are located over the entire shipframe while a dorsal antenna is used for FTL navigation. Communication capabilities are provided by a 60 meter-long hyperstate antenna for interstellar distances and 16 secondary antennas and various other systems, like microwave relays and low-band options, for intra-system and short-range transmissions. Stealth characteristics of the ship include absorbents, infrared suppressors on the engines and a cooling tower that further lowers the infrared profile.

4. Armament

As the Conestoga is mainly a transport ship, the armament is relatively light. Its main weapon is a dorsal launch bay for 8 XIM-28A Long Range ASAT missiles. Two 800 MeV Neutral Particle Beams with a range of up to 100.000 kilometers are mounted on the side and are able to fire for a duration of 290 seconds. Dorsal and ventral rail gun turrets are fed by an autoloader capable of handling various ammunition types and can fire their projectiles with a velocity of 30rpm over a maximum range of 100 kilometers. Port and Starboard laser turrets act as interceptors, with an effective range of 20 kilometers while a ventral dispenser stores up to 60 fragmentation mines. A decoy bay in the aft section is outfitted with 20 decoy ballutes and two decoy drones. Finally, a main magazine forward of the shuttle bay stores 80 Re-entry Vehicles that can be outfitted with a range of warheads, including nuclear weapons, for orbital bombardments. (A2, A:INF, CMTM)

Conrad: A male human and a Weyland-Yutani scientist assigned in a leading capacity to Project Ilithyia aboard the USS Sulaco in 2179. At first concerned about the safety measures of the project, Conrad was soon reassured by the presence of Weyland-Yutani PMCs. When he was asked by a colleague of his named Doctor Stanton to accept his resignation, he refused and made a futile attempt to alleviate Stanton of his concerns. His current whereabouts are unknown. (A:CMVG)

Corinth Colony: A colony on KOI-571.02 founded in 2062. The colony served as a development and testing facility for security technology and was restricted to authorized personnel. Population and resources data remain classified. (PR:WIW)

Coren: The proper name given to the planet POL-3191 BB upon its discovery in 2071. (PR:WIW)

Cornigus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in six tube-like extensions of the carapace and a single spike protruding from the tip of the skull. (A:CMVG)

57 Coronado Colony: A colony on Gliese 581 g. Founded in 2056, it boasted a population of almost 4 million colonists. Coronado Colony would establish itself as a center for researching and manufacturing advanced cybernetic, biotech and electronics technology. The key resources of the colony are magnetite and scheelite. (PR:WIW)

Corcoran: A male human and the chief traffic controller of Byzantium Station during the raid of the Betty's crew on the facility in the mid-80s of the 24th century. Corcoran fell for the charms of the Betty's pilot Bolero and thus inadvertently facilitated the operations of the group aboard the station. However, when Immigration was placed under lockdown due to the efforts of Ripley 8, Call, Johner and Krakke, Corcoran refused to clear the docking bay for the Betty on Bolero's request, and only reluctantly agreed when she threatened to blow her way out of Byzantium Station. (A:OS)

Craft, Jeremy: A male human and a test pilot who was killed during the development of first-generation FTL drive technology. In 2069, Craft City, a colony in the Outer Veil was named in honor of Craft. (PR:WIW)

Craft City: A colony on the planet KOI-812.02. Named after test pilot Jeremy Craft. Established in 2069, Craft City would sport a population of 200,000 by 2071. The colony's industry focused on mining operations. Key resources were titanium and molybdenite. (PR:WIW)

Crawler: A term used to describe a class of wheeled exploration, industrial and military vehicles. Tacticians prefer Crawlers to other kinds of vehicles because of the lower radar signature. (A:B1 – O)

Cristatus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in a shield-like extension of the carapace. A central row of three long horns running down the middle of the skull is developed as well as tusk-like spikes to both sides of the mouth. (A:CMVG)

Crocker, Sven: A male human acting as the site manager of a Weyland-Yutani research facility on C-3 L/M. Had before worked as a supervisor on agricultural installations. As part of Weyland-Yu- tani's efforts to root out a spy at the facility, Crocker was reassigned and replaced by William Judge in 2232. (A:NE)

Crowe, Tim: A male human serving the USCM corps. Was ranked Private in 2179 when his unit became involved in the Hadley's Hope incident. He was killed during the cataclysmic foray into the Xenomorph hive inside the Atmosphere Processor. (A2)

Crusher: A large Xenomorph variant encountered on LV-426 in the months after the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179.

1. Anatomy

The Crusher possessed incredible strength, had a more massive build than most other Xenomorph types. It was roughly twice as tall as a human-bred Xenomorph and weighed almost 600 kilograms. The most striking feature was its armored carapace that was similar in appearance to that of a Queen. The crest was thick enough that the Crusher could use it to deliver fatal damage to personnel and small vehicles by ramming them. The armor also made the front side virtually invulnerable to firearms, though enough punishment directed at the unshielded flank or rear can kill a Crusher.

58 2. History

The Crusher's conception and role in the hive structure are largely unknown, though experience supports the theory that it served the role of a heavy-hitter in offensive operations, acting as single individuals supported by groups of Drones. Only a handful of confrontations with a Crusher are recorded: Some time after the Hadley's Hope incident, USCM Corporal Dwayne Hicks and ex-Wey- land-Yutani scientist Richard Levy defeated a Crusher at an access point to the Xenomorph hive running beneath portions of the Origin facility on LV-426. The creature was again encountered by the USCM marines Winter, O'Neal and Clarison during their infiltration of Weyland-Yutani's Origin facility, where it was seen destroying a Wey-Yu APC. Prior to the final assault on the Origin facility, Winter, O'Neal and a group of marines fought and killed a Crusher near a landing pad in Hadley's Hope. (A:CMVG, A:CMVG_SI)

Cruz, Jeremy: A male human and a member of the USCM corps. Born in Broken Arrow, Okla- homa, Earth, on April 16, 2143. Was ranked Lieutenant by 2179, Cruz was the commanding officer involved in the Origin incident in the same year.

1. Early service in the USCM corps

During his training in the USCM, Cruz proved to be an exceptional commander with strong leadership skills and graduated from Officer Candidates School with accolades, which qualified him for Advanced Hostile Environments Training at Camp Hanneken at Valles Marineris, Mars. After this, Cruz was transferred to Marine Space Force in the Sol system under direct orders from the ICC in 2172. It was sometime during his career when an injury cost him one of his legs, forcing him to wear a prosthetic. In late 2179, Cruz was assigned as the commanding officer of the 118th battalion on the Sephora and sent to investigate the Sulaco found over LV-426, a mission which would mark the beginning of the Origin incident.

2. The final hours of the Sulaco

Upon arriving at LV-426, Cruz mobilized most of his forces to board the Sulaco on several troop carriers and an Umbilical installed as a direct connection between the Sephora and its sister ship. He appointed teams Rhino 2-1 and Rhino 2-3 to investigate and retrieve the ship's flight recorder. However, upon arriving on the Sulaco, both teams were decimated by an unknown assailant. Cruz then woke up the last batch of his marines from cryosleep and gave the squad a quick briefing, ordering the marines to follow up on teams Rhino 2-1 and 2-3 and find out about the crisis aboard the Sulaco. Among the soldiers was a Corporal named Winter, whom Cruz appointed to be his personal contact during the mission. Staying behind on the Sephora, Cruz acted as the mission operator. When Winter and a survivor from Rhino 2-3 named Keyes requested to complete the team's original mission, Cruz denied the request and ordered to disengage, but to no avail. After this mission ended in a disaster during which the Umbilical was destroyed, Cruz gave Winter and another survivor from Rhino 2-3 named O'Neal the mission to secure a cargo bay as an alternate landing site and deployed the rest of the marines aboard the remaining Cheyenne dropships. After that mission had been accomplished, Cruz transferred to the Sulaco aboard another dropship. However, the cargo bay was raided by Weyland-Yutani PMCs immediately after Cruz's arrival, and the weapon systems of the Sulaco began to fire on the Sephora. Cruz then sent Winter and other marines to disable the weapon system, but despite their best efforts, Cruz had to watch helplessly as the Sephora's reactor

59 went critical. During the battle, the Sulaco had been damaged beyond repair as well, and Cruz and the others barely escaped the doomed ship to crash-land on the surface of LV-426.

3. Regrouping at Hadley's Hope

After the landing, Cruz decided to regroup in the ruined command center of Hadley's Hope and sent two of his marines, Lieutenant Reid and Private Clarison, to establish a long-range signal at the local comm relay in order to rally all survivors that had escaped destruction in orbit. Cruz himself remained at the command center and maintained an improvised HQ with the assistance of a Bishop model nicknamed Rook. During this time, Cruz learned that a USCM marine who possessed vital information on means to escape from the barren world was held captive on LV-426 by Weyland-Yu- tani. When Winter and Cruz returned and requested to infiltrate the Weyland-Yutani facility in order to use its medical facilities to save Clarison, who had been impregnated by a Facehugger on the Su- laco, Cruz agreed on the condition that they would procure a personnel manifest while doing so. Cruz knew that it was impossible to save a human already impregnated, but was also aware of the fact that his marines would try anyway, and took the authorization of the rescue attempt as an ex- cuse to gain more information about the captive marine.

4. The final assault

When Winter and O'Neal returned to Cruz with the freed marine prisoner, the two men, exhausted and struck with grief at the loss of Clarison, confronted him and demanded answers. Cruz was forced to reveal his agenda, but also convinced them that Hicks was the only way to secure the survival of the remaining forces from the Sephora. When he learned of the Xenomorphs converging on the marines back at Hadley's Hope, Cruz ordered his two most valuable assets, Hicks and combat pilot Reid, to leave the colony aboard an APC. After participating in the successful defense of the colony, Cruz learned that Hicks and Reid had ignored his order and stayed behind to prep another dropship. After a mild reprieve, Cruz, Hicks and his other marines raided the Weyland-Yutani facility, assembling all survivors into a strike force of considerable strength, intending to use a Wey-Yu FTL ship landed on-site to evacuate the remaining soldiers. Cruz spearheaded the operation from the ground and participated in a successful effort to bring down a cargo lifter carrying the Xenomorph Queen before it could reach the FTL landing site. However, the group arrived seconds too late to stop the FTL ship from launching. Refusing to admit defeat, Cruz and the others boarded a dropship and managed to crash into the frigate's cargo bay while still in atmosphere. During the crash, Cruz was injured, and the deformed airframe pinned him down inside the cockpit. Aware of the importance of taking over the frigate to evacuate the remaining Sephora marines from the ground, Cruz ordered his marines to leave him behind. Before Winter and the others could devise a plan to rescue Cruz, the Queen appeared in the cargo bay. After a futile attempt by Winter to rid the bay of the creature, Cruz ordered the marines to rescue the remaining marines on the surface and bring down Weyland-Yutani for him. Cruz then sacrificed himself by activating the thrusters of the dropship wreckage, propelling himself and the Queen out of the frigate. (A:CMVG)

Cryosleep Tube: A technological device with Cryosleep capabilities that is designed to store a single individual. (PR:WIW)

Culp, Thomas: A male human and one of the individuals haunted by Xenomorph-related nightmares caused by the Bionational Queen during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192. Culp was interviewed about the nightmares by a counselor named Dr. Morgan. Culp's report also came to the attention of a military geneticist named Dr. Orona, who filed his case as Case #232337. (A:B1 – O)

60 Curzic Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-2418.01. Established in 2063, Curzic would sport a population of almost 1.9 million by the year 2071. Notable for being a major manufacturer of fuel cells for commercial use. The colony's industry consisted of energy, mining and refining. Key resources were lithium and helium-3. (PR:WIW)

Cyaneus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in cyan-colored highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

*** D ***

Daggs: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Daggs managed to escape the destruction in orbit and regroup at Hadley's Hope and later participated in the defense of Hadley's Hope against a Xenomorph onslaught. After the battle, Daggs also participated in the all-out attack of the surviving USCM forces on the Weyland-Yutani research facility aboard the dropship Raider 6-3, which was piloted by his fellow marine Ruiz. However, the dropship was hit by anti-air fire and went down near the landing site of the Weyland-Yutani FTL ship. Daggs survived the crash, but was impaled by the Queen upon leaving the dropship wreckage. (A:CMVG)

Daihotai tractor: A 8×8 wheeled civilian ground vehicle used during the late 22nd century. Several variants were developed by Daihotai, with the more recent ones being powered by J-160 or J-180 series gas turbines, which can provide velocities of up to 110 km/h on even ground. However, the Daihotai tractors were also designed to handle rough terrain and is able to tackle vertical obstacles with a maximum height of 1,10 meters and to drive up slopes with a gradient of up to 70 degrees. Most types are outfitted with a cabin that houses a galley and berths for up to five people. These cabins are self-contained and equipped with a life-support system to make operation in hostile environments possible. The vehicle can be controlled from both the forward driver's cab and a worksta- tion cab in the rear. The Jorden family used a Daihotai tractor to explore the coordinates of the Derelict given to Hadley's Hope administration in 2179, an expedition that would result in a devastating Xenomorph outbreak at the colony. Later that year, USCM marines Winter, O'Neal and Clarison used a leftover Daihotai tractor from Hadley's Hope to get to the outer perimeter of the Weyland-Yutani research facility surrounding the Derelict in order to extract the Xenomorph embryo from Clarison and obtain a personnel manifest of the installation. (A2, A:CMVG, CMTM)

Dallas, A.J.: A male human serving as the captain of the cargo hauler Nostromo from 2120 to 2122. Born on February 27, 2076 in Wolf Point, Montana. Was involved in the Nostromo incident.

1. Early life

At the age of 23, Dallas graduated from Mercaton flight academy on May 15, 2099. On May 11 of the following year, he entered the salvage business aboard the Snark as a pilot and navigator. On January 23, 2103, Dallas joined the crew of the UTX vessel Ganymede and continued to work aboard the ship until he entered military service as a pilot aboard the ORD fleet ship Leviathan at Liberty Echo. Eventually, Dallas received the Sunburst Medal of Honor for undisclosed reasons. Following his involvement in the Torin Prime civil war, Dallas ascended to the rank of Captain and took up command of the troop carrier Archangel. His career in the military came to a sudden end when the Archangel was destroyed during a peacekeeping mission to Thedus on December 25,

61 2109. Dallas was made responsible for the incident, which cost the lives of 15293 people, and received a dishonorable discharge from the ORD a week later. Dallas decided to opt for going into smuggling business and began service aboard the Vidar on April 23, 2113. About a year later, Dallas had earned enough money to buy his own ship, which he christened the Tremolino. His relationship with Weyland-Yutani Corporation started when he accepted freelance cargo hauling duty for the company on July 21, 2114. On December 7, 2119, the Tremolino was decommissioned and its crew disbanded for unknown reasons. However, only about a month later, Dallas entered permanent Wey- land-Yutani employment as the commander of the Nostromo on January 4, 2120, gaining flight status B. He remained in this capacity up to and including the Nostromo incident in 2122.

2. The Nostromo incident

When the crew of the Nostromo was unexpectedly woken after the ship's computer MOTHER had received the alien signal originating from LV-426, Dallas decided to follow due protocol and land the ship on the planetoid. He also directed the search party to the derelict, but was later killed when he was traversing the Nostromo's vent system to track down and kill the Xenomorph. (A1)

Dante Colony: A colony on Gliese 667 cd. Established in 2044 and sporting a population of 11 million by 2071. Dante Colony was renowned throughout the galaxy as the seat of the headquarters of the Weyland Academy extension schools outside Earth. Besides education, Dante Colony's industry was based on manufacturing and mining. Its key resources were phosphorous, erbium and lithium. (PR:WIW)

Darby, Matthew: A male human working as a representative for the Planetus Corporation. Darby oversaw the reactivation of Anders Kramm in 2232, when a supposed Xenomorph infestation on the planet C-3 L/M had deemed it necessary for Planetus, who shared the planet with its rival Weyland- Yutani, to send an investigator well-versed with the creatures. After Kramm's physical rehabilitation, Darby briefed him on the details of the incident and his mission. When Kramm and Stauff, a Planetus employee working on the case with him, discovered that the infestation was an elaborate ruse by Weyland-Yutani, they informed Darby, who sent back a message in which he ordered both of them to come back to him as soon as possible. However, Weyland-Yutani had quickly managed to take over Planetus as a result of their scheme. All offices were taken by force, and Darby was tortured and interrogated by Braley, the Weyland- Yutani mastermind behind the whole operation. Darby eventually gave in and told Braley about the whereabouts of Kramm, Stauff and some other individuals involved in the Planetus investigation. Darby was ordered to send a last message to the spacecraft of the survivors, informing them about the situation. His final whereabouts are unknown, though he was probably killed after he was of no more use to Weyland-Yutani. (A:NE)

David: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Before his sentence on Fiorina 161, David had been present during a fatal accident involving the highly flammable liquid Quinitricetyline. David helped in setting the trap to capture the Alien using the same liquid, but later died during the climatic bait and chase aimed at luring the creature into the blast furnace. (A3)

David (android series): A series of androids manufactured by Weyland Industries. Christened by Sir Peter Weyland himself, with a name he originally intended for his son. Started on January 7, 2025 with the David 1 model, the series is considered to be the first practical application of the an-

62 droid concept and a landmark achievement in technology. The production line went through a series of revisions and updates, up to the David 8 model in 2085. (PR:WIW)

David 1: The first version of the David android series manufactured by Weyland Industries. Its successful development was made public on January 7, 2025 and was the first advanced android in history. (PR:WIW)

David 2: The second version of the David android. Manufactured by Weyland Industries, who announced the new model on January 1, 2028. David 2 was the first version outfitted to interact with human beings.

David 3: The third model of the David android series. Developed by Weyland Industries and finished on June 30, 2035. Following the conclusion and the lifting of android regulations, the corporation began an internal test program to evaluate practical interaction of the android with humans. (PR:WIW)

David 4: The fourth version of the David android by Weyland Industries and the first model to be commercially available. Was released on April 1, 2042. (PR:WIW)

David 5: The fifth version of the David android series by Weyland Industries. Was finished on July 7, 2052. David 5 boasted significant improvements to his emotional and intellectual capabilities. (PR:WIW)

David 6: The sixth model of Weyland Industries' David android series. A study was released on February 26, 2062 that stated that only seven percent of the human test candidates could tell David 6 apart from a human being. (PR:WIW)

David 7: The seventh version of the David android series by Weyland Industries, which started production on July 6, 2068. By the time of the 7 model, the David android was an advanced replication of a human being with complex emotional programming. Weyland Industries would proceed to deploy thousands of David 7 androids all over Earth. In 2071, a limited number of David 7 units with serial numbers 5000 and 6000, types A through C, displayed malfunctions in their capabilities to recognize and interpret human emotions. The incidents linked to the malfunction were limited to a few dozen, mostly located on Earth and Luna. After the malfunction had been brought to the attention of Weyland Cybernetics Repair Stations, Weyland Cybernetics issued a public response on June 14, 2071, announcing that it would collect the androids and investigate the malfunction. Buyers were offered a replacement free of charge or the option to buy a next-generation model at a discount price. (PR:WIW)

David 8: The most recent and advanced version of the David android manufactured by Weyland In- dustries.

1. Anatomy

A “David 8”-type android is 1.87 meters tall and weighs 86 kilograms, sporting a cadmium en- doskeleton that is able to withstand up to 500 kilograms of compression force and that comes with a lifetime guarantee. He also features a Polymer-encased brain stem component and is powered by zero-loss lithium cells. David 8 is able to lift up to around 350 kilograms, has astonishing hand-to- eye coordination, mobility and flexibility and knows several common sports. The android has ad-

63 vanced visual sensors with a magnification feature for a factor up to 30x and the capability to adapt to low-light environments. David 8 constantly monitors his systems and functions and, unlike previous models, also maintains himself.

2. Improvements and new features

A major new feature is his powerful emotional capabilities, able to recognize, process and emulate a wide range of complex emotions. His module for emotional expressions is built around eight core emotions: Anger, confidence, disgust, joy, sadness, curiosity, trust and a neutral mode which can be activated should circumstances require actions and assessment unclouded by human emotions. David 8's intelligence is rated equal to 10 degree 20 neurons (or 200 petaflops), which is twice as high as human intelligence, and his memory is virtually unlimited. Linguistic features include flu- ency in any known language and the ability to analyze and infer unknown languages. A global mapping feature allows for advanced navigation. All these features make interactions with David 8 virtually indistinguishable from those with a human partner, but at the same time enable him to do a wide range of tasks a human cannot perform.

3. Development and history

Among the key sites of the development of David 8 was the Weyland Cybernetics Logic Design and Research Facility on the planet HD 202206 bm. After core development had been finished, David underwent a two-trial phase in the civilian and commercial sector on Earth. This was accompanied by a heavy-duty testing program on off-world colonies, such as working at a titanium mining operation on the planet KOI-252.01. Long before its public release, the android was a resounding success. A publicity announcement released on December 23, 2072, reported that preorders have ex- ceeded even analyst expectations. After release, the production line became notable when Sir Peter Weyland included a reprogrammed David 8 android in the crew roster of the Prometheus mission in 2091. This android would play a vital role during the LV-223 incident in 2093. (PR, PR:WIW)

David 8 (Prometheus crew member): A David 8 android who was part of the ill-fated mission of the research vessel Prometheus to LV-223 in 2093. Featured an altered programming to accommodate the hidden agenda of Peter Weyland, turning him into an unpredictable and sometimes ruthless individual. Liked the movie Lawrence of Arabia, though it is unknown whether this quirk applied to the whole line or just this model.

1. Assignment to the Prometheus mission

For almost everyone involved in the Prometheus mission, this David 8 seemed to be a regular part of the crew. Only Meredith Vickers was aware of the hidden agenda involving Peter Weyland, who had secretly joined the mission hoping that the Engineers would grant him immortality. To assist his maker in this goal became David's main objective to which all other aims, even the survival of the crew, became secondary. Despite the fact that Weyland's daughter, Vickers, was also in on his plans, Weyland, fearing intervention from her, ordered David to act on his own and keep his findings for himself.

2. Role during the journey to LV-223

After the ship had departed from Earth in 2091, David supervised the ship's functions and the condition of the crew in their cryosleep chambers during the two-year journey to the Zeta 2 Reticuli sys-

64 tem. Meanwhile, David also made himself familiar with all human languages in order to be able to extrapolate the Engineer's writing system and, should the opportunity arise, communicate with them. Another of his responsibilities was to check for a reply to the Prometheus' transmission of the Arecibo message. Possibly due to his altered programming, David 8 also had developed several unique traits, like a degree of curiosity that bordered on indiscretion, prompting him to tap into the dreams of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw.

3. Secret agenda

On December 21, 2093, the Prometheus reached its target and went back to sublight speed. David proceeded to wake the crew, but not before conferring with Vickers, who had set her cryosleep tube to awaken her as soon as the ship arrived at its destination. Once landed, David 8 joined the first foray into the Engineer pyramid. His programming that commanded aggressive exploration caused David 8 to open the door to the Ampule room without previous authorization and to sneak the contents of an Ampule on board the Prometheus, breaking the atmosphere seal and releasing the Black Goo into the chamber. Shortly after, he was also responsible for saving the life of Dr. Shaw when she got caught in the storm in order to secure the Engineer head and subsequently participated in its autopsy. Later, David reported back to Weyland, who ordered him to take more extreme measures to pursue his agenda. Accordingly, David infected Dr. Holloway with the Black Goo from the Ampule by tainting his drink with the substance.

4. Discovering the Juggernaut

Next day, David learned from Janek that one of the Spectagraphs infrequently reported a life form inside the pyramid, possibly due to a hardware glitch. David offered to track down the device and fix it while the other crew members would search for Fifield and Millburn. The android eventually found the Spectagraph in front of a sealed door. David managed to open the hatch and found himself inside the Juggernaut, an Engineer ship that was stored in an underground hangar. After discovering a cargo hold filled with Black Goo containers, he eventually reached the pilot chamber. There, David watched the last holographic recording chronicling the preparations of the Engineer crew to launch the ship. Further investigation not only revealed that the ship's destination had been set to Earth, but also that one Engineer was still alive and in cryosleep.

5. Endgame and a new alliance

After the exploration of the Juggernaut, David returned to the Prometheus to perform a medical examination of Dr. Shaw, who had lost consciousness due to a nervous breakdown when she had witnessed the death of her boyfriend, Dr. Holloway, due to the Black Goo infection. During the examination, David discovered that Shaw was pregnant with a monstrous fetus. Ignoring her plea to remove the embryo, David sedated her and ordered Ford to prepare her for cryosleep. Subsequently, David 8 awakened Peter Weyland from cryosleep to prepare him for his visit to the last surviving Engineer. When preparations were finished, David led Weyland, Shaw, Ford and the security team to the pilot chamber and awakened the Engineer from cryosleep. However, when David communicated Weyland's request to prolong his life, the being reacted violently, ripping David’s head off and proceeding to kill the rest of the group except Shaw. Despite the decapitation and the subsequent crash of the ship, David remained operational and later contacted Shaw to warn her that the Engi- neer was stalking her. After Shaw had defeated the being, David contacted her a second time, asking her to retrieve his body from the Juggernaut. Aware that the android had caused the death of Hol- loway, Shaw agreed only after David 8 had revealed that there existed several vessels and that he

65 would be able to operate an Engineer ship and take them back to Earth. However, Shaw asked if he could take her to the Engineer homeworld instead, a request which the android agreed to. David 8 and Shaw departed LV-223 soon after. (PR)

Davis, A.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

Davis, Sean: A male human and a representative of Weyland-Yutani who was involved in the Su- laco incident in 2179. Hides a cold and ruthless personality behind a friendly demeanor.

1. Prelude

Davis' role in the Sulaco incident began after USCM had located a missing vessel of theirs – the USS Sulaco, which had been temporarily declared lost in the wake of the Hadley's Hope incident. When the marines of the Sulaco reported the Xenomorph presence aboard the ship, word soon reached high-ranking USCM staff who were in league with the Weyland-Yutani corporation. The information was then relayed to the Company, who, aware of the organism and the value it posed, lobbied for gaining access to the vessel after the USCM had completed their job there. Weyland-Yu- tani was successful and sent their personnel and synthetics over under the pretense of contract work in analyzing the ship. The command of operations was given to a representative named Sean Davis.

2. Confrontation with the USCM

Davis and his men immediately began their work. Davis also supervised the transfer of Xenomorph eggs from a Company freighter arriving from LV-426 to the Sulaco. The cargo was intended to be delivered to a Weyland-Yutani research station on the Mars moon of Phobos. Davis and his men were undisturbed during their work until Steele and his troops returned from LV-426, intent on eradicating the Xenomorph threat. When Fire Team Fox arrived, Davis tried to pull rank, stating that the eggs were technically USCM property, but to no avail. Davis seemingly conceded defeat, but while the marines were exploring the ship, Davis secretly sabotaged the airlock controls to protect the Queen specimen inside the cargo hold.

3. Final fate

After the Sulaco had arrived at Phobos, Marines discovered another Xenomorph outbreak at the installation and returned to the Sulaco to question Davis about it. It was during this second confrontation when he showed his true colors: Davis did not care about the human lives lost during the outbreak and only worried about the Xenomorph specimens. He revealed his intent to use the creatures as the ultimate bio-weapons and informed the USCM marines that the Sulaco was on his way to Mars where powerful associates of his would take over. Then, Davis ordered his men to kill the marines and vanished. The marines survived the encounter and tried to track down Davis, but he eluded capture by jamming the USCM sensors. The marines made several attempts to destroy the Sulaco, but Davis was always one step ahead of them, initiating overrides to countermand the marines' orders. However, his arrogance was to be his downfall: Unable to resist the temptation to gloat over the ship's intercom system, the USCM team was able to get a lock on his signal and track him down in the ventral cargo bay. When the marines finally confronted Davis, he remained defiant until the Empress appeared. Panicking, Davis unsuccessfully begged the marines to protect him and was quickly killed by the creature. (A:INF)

66 Davos Colony: A colony on KOI-736.01. Established in 2058, Davos Colony was home to a population of 8,5 million by 2071. Its industry takes advantage of the planet's vast water supplies, with additional capacity in energy and security. Its key resources are magnesium, dysprosium, lead and nickel. (PR,WIW)

Deacon: An enigmatic creature originating from the Black Goo chemical weapon. Shares remarkable similarities to the Xenomorph organism. Results from an Engineer being impregnated by the Trilobite stage of the Black Goo. The only recorded sighting of a Deacon occurred shortly after the LV-223 incident, when the Engineer awakened by Weyland stalked after Dr. Elizabeth Shaw inside the marooned lifeboat, only to be subdued and impregnated by Shaw's Trilobite offspring.

1. Anatomy

The Deacon shares many anatomical characteristics with a human-bred adult Xenomorph. It sports a slender, roughly humanoid appearance and also has the elongated head of the Alien, though the Deacon's skull ends in a pointed fin-like carapace. Another common feature is an inner jaw, which the Deacon is able to protrude, similar to the second set of jaws of the Alien. Unlike the Xenomorph however, this creature lacks a tail and has a smooth-skinned body instead of an exoskeleton.

2. Conception and birth

The Deacon begins its life as a seed carried by the Trilobite, whose purpose is to impregnate a suitable host with it, much akin to the Xenomorph Facehugger. When it is fully matured, it uses its carapace to cut itself free from its host's torso. Like the Runner subspecies of the Xenomorph, it erupts more or less fully-developed.

3. Origin

Aside from that, the Deacon is a mystery. Similarities in appearance and conception aside, nothing can be said about its relation to the Xenomorph organism. It is also unknown whether the Deacon is the final, fully-grown incarnation of the life form or merely an intermediate step like the Chest- burster stage in the Alien's life-cycle, which would open up the possibility that the adult Deacon is actually a much larger creature. One can also only speculate what effect, if any, the human DNA of the Trilobite had on the conception of the Deacon. (PR)

December Outpost: A colony established on KOI-701.03 in 2069. Boasted a population of just under 1,5 million by the year 2071. Notable for its cybernetics-focused industry and the home of Meredith Dracig Memorial Cybernetics. Further industrial sectors were education and mining. Key resources were europium, neodymium and copper. (PR:WIW)

Deedee: A female human and a fellow patient of Billie during her time at the Feildcrest Home mental ward. Was one of the individuals who watched Salvaje's message of the True Messiah in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Delousing: A technology created to completely and quickly sterilize a person. Used for research facilities where full isolation is necessary and no foreign organisms can be tolerated. Is usually installed inside a man-sized apparatus the person enters for the procedure. The Delousing process basically consists of a chemical and electronic instillation which fully eradicates the internal and external flora and fauna of a human being. An unfortunate side-effect of the process is that the person,

67 especially first-time users, will suffer long bouts of diarrhea as the bacteria necessary for a healthy digestion have to regenerate. A notable example for an installation featuring Delousing technology are the isolated sections of the Third Base installation. (A:B2 - NA)

Denebian Slime Spider: An extraterrestrial species of spiders. Denebian Slime Spiders were exhibited at zoos during the 2190s. (A:B1 – O)

Derelict: A term referring to the remains of a Mala'kak spacecraft lying crashed on the surface of the planetoid LV-426 by the time of the Nostromo incident in 2122. As it carried hundreds of Xenomorph eggs, the Derelict is noted for acting as the source of the first two major recorded outbreaks of the Xenomorph organism in human history. The Derelict spanned over 170 meters in length and was of a U-like configuration. The appearance of the ship was dominated by organic forms both on the inside and the outside. This unique design is consistent with other Space Jockey artifacts discovered by humanity.

1. Crash on LV.426

The exact date of the Derelict's crash on LV-426 is unknown, but judging by the fact that the pilot was fossilized when discovered in 2122, it must have been a long time ago, possibly even during the galaxy-wide Xenomorph infestation 1.6 billion years in the past. The exact circumstances of the crash are also unknown, although we do know that the ship carried a large amount of Xenomorph eggs at the time and that, at one point, the pilot had been impregnated by a Facehugger, so this may have played a role. However, whether the ship crashed because of a Xenomorph outbreak on board or was crashed on purpose remains a matter of debate. Another clue is provided by a holographic recording from the Derelict's data banks that was retrieved during the Origin incident and depicted a battle between the Derelict and a disc-shaped ship of unknown configuration. Whether this recording is related to the crash on LV-426 is unknown. What is certain is that after the crash, a beacon was activated that began sending an acoustic signal repeating every 12 seconds. Also, at least one Engineer-bred Xenomorph survived the crash and would remain in the Derelict undetected until the Sulaco incident in 2179.

2. Loki and the Nostromo incident

The Space Jockeys were aware of the Derelict and its deadly cargo and traded its location with a black ops division inside human government called Loki who had established contact with the race some time ago. Loki in turn passed the Derelict's coordinates along to one of their allies, Weyland- Yutani, who altered the course of one of their ships, the Nostromo, so that it would pass LV-426 close enough to pick up the Derelict's signal. Following protocol that commands investigation of such signals, the ship's mainframe woke up the crew from hypersleep, which subsequently landed the ship on the planetoid's surface. Most of the crew thought that the signal was a distress beacon, although Ripley suggested it may have been a warning signal. A hazard team left the Nostromo and eventually discovered the source of the signal, the Derelict. The crew members discovered the fossilized pilot and also took note of its chest burst open, but as they were unaware of both the Space Jockeys and the Xenomorph, they proceeded without more than a superficial observation of the find. One of the crew members, Kane, entered the Derelict's cargo hold to discover a vast amount of Xenomorph eggs and became impregnated when approaching one of the spores. The crew carried Kane back to the Nostromo, and soon after, the ship left LV-426. These events and the subsequent Xenomorph infestation aboard the Nostromo would become known as the Nostromo incident.

68 3. The Hadley's Hope incident

During the following decades, volcanic activity on LV-426 damaged the Derelict and buried parts of it. Meanwhile, humanity colonized LV-426, but remained unaware of the Derelict's existence. When Ripley, the last survivor of the Nostromo incident, was able to give her report of the Derelict in 2179, a representative of Weyland-Yutani, Carter Burke, provided the administration of the Hadley's Hope colony with the coordinates of the Derelict for investigation. The administration assigned the task to the Jorden family who set out for the location and eventually discovered the Derelict. Russ and Ann Jorden proceeded to explore the ship during which Russ stumbled upon the cargo hold and became impregnated by a Facehugger, eventually causing the Xenomorph infestation of Hadley's Hope and, in further consequence, the Hadley's Hope incident. When the Atmosphere Processor adjacent to the colony exploded in the culmination of the incident, the Derelict was seemingly taken with it. However, as the wreckage was located behind a large formation of rocks called the Ilium range, the ship escaped the destruction unharmed.

4. The Sulaco incident

During the Sulaco incident shortly after, a USCM squad attached to the USS Sephora fled a Xenomorph onslaught aboard an APC during an operation to take down UPP forces on LV-426. In desperate need for extraction, the group reached the Derelict and crashed into its bridge. There, the group was confronted with a huge Engineer-bred Xenomorph. Combat footage from the fight revealed that the pilot chamber was also filled with Xenomorph eggs that hadn't been there during the Nostromo incident, though it remains unknown when they were placed there. After the group had killed the creature, it left the Derelict and departed from LV-426. . 5. The Origin incident

In the weeks after the Hadley's Hope incident, the region in which Hadley's Hope and the Derelict was located became geographically unstable due to the explosion of the Atmosphere Processor. This also took its toll on the ship when one of the arms was detached by an erupting magma flow. Even- tually, Weyland-Yutani found most of the Derelict intact and began to construct a research facility around the vessel's remains in order to investigate the artifact with the primary focus on securing the Xenomorph eggs and harvest and cultivate the creatures on-site. The interior of the Derelict was being mapped out, and harvesting stations were set up in the vessel's cargo hold. Both the ship and the facility were given the code name Origin. On December 14, 2179, during what would become known as the Origin incident, two USCM marines, Colonel Christopher Winter and Private Peter O'Neal, passed through the Derelict on their way to rescue a marine captured by Weyland-Yutani. Shortly before, the two marines had shut down the security grid of the Origin facility, and after Winter and O'Neal had left the Derelict, it quickly fell victim to a Xenomorph infestation. The personnel was killed or cocooned and impregnated. During the final assault on the facility, a group of four marines traversed the Derelict a second time. By then, the Derelict was completely controlled by the Xenomorphs.

6. Fate

The Derelict presumably survived the Origin incident, but at an unknown point of time prior to the Auriga incident in 2381, the ship was destroyed, forcing the Auriga team of scientists to resort to cloning Ellen Ripley in order to obtain the Xenomorph organism. (A1, A2, A:INF, A:CMVG)

69 Detention Planet 27: A prison world situated in the Requist system. Notable as the birthplace of Mark Drake, one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. (KAF)

Devil Dust: A recreational drug used during the late 22nd century. Administered using an inhaler. Bionational vice presidents Green and Red used Devil Dust in the 2190s. (A:B1 – O)

DH Press: A book publisher active during the middle of the 21st century. Released “The Evolution of Television” by Emmett Webster. (A:B1 – O)

Diabolus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in a large crest-like carapace that ends in two serrated horns. (A:CMVG)

Diego Suarez: A city on the Northern tip of Madagascar. In 1975, Diego Suarez was renamed to Antsiranana, but would eventually revert to its original name. In late 2192, during the Earth War, the city became the site of an enormous cluster of Xenomorph nests connected by tunnels. Orona deployed a full division of his forces in Diego Suarez to combat the Alien presence. (A:B1 – O)

Dietrich, Cynthia: A female human serving as a Med-Tech for the USCM corps. Ranking Corpo- ral, she was part of the unit involved in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. In her capacity as medical officer, Dietrich tended to Rebecca Jorden, found to be the only survivor of the initial Xenomorph infestation of the colony. She was later incapacitated and captured by the Xenomorphs after her squad had been ambushed inside their hive in the Atmosphere Processor nearby. What exactly happened to her afterward is unknown, although her death is certain, either by giving birth to a Xenomorph or, at the latest, during the explosion of the Atmosphere Processor. (A2)

Dillon, Leonard: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident in 2179. Born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 30, 2138. Sentenced and sent to the Fiorina 161 penal facility for murder and rape. At the point when Ripley arrived at Fury 16, Dillon was considered to be a spiritual leader and a figure of authority for the cult-like community the inmates had formed during their time on the planet. He was responsible for hosting and performing religious duties and rituals and also acted as a liaison to Superintendent Andrews. Dillon held a moving eulogy during Hicks' and Newt's funeral, but later reacted reservedly when Ripley approached him in the mess hall. However, he subsequently came to rescue Ripley from a rape attempt at the scrapyard, enacting violent punishment on the assailants as he felt was his responsibility. When the Xenomorph threat became apparent, Dillon agreed to help capture the creature and coordinated the efforts of the prisoners to prepare the trap. By then, a certain kind of trust and respect had developed between him and Ripley, and after she had discovered her impregnation, it was him whom she asked to kill her and destroy the embryo inside her. Dillon refused on the grounds that he wanted to kill the Xenomorph that had slaughtered his friends and needed her to succeed, but promised her to honor Ripley's request afterward. To- gether with her, Dillon rallied the survivors for a last ditch effort to lure the Xenomorph into the blast furnace. Eventually, Dillon sacrificed himself to keep the Alien busy in the furnace so that Ripley could flood the furnace with molten lead and kill the creature. (A3)

DiStephano, Vincent: A male human and a USM soldier serving aboard the Auriga in 2381. In addition to guard and security duty, DiStephano was also sometimes tasked with occupying the observation capsule outside the highest levels of the ship. DiStephano was among the security staff who confronted the crew of the Betty in the mess shortly before the Xenomorph outbreak. Unlike his fellow soldiers, DiStephano survived the encounter and was captured by the smugglers. When the dire

70 situation became apparent, DiStephano agreed to band together with the others and helped guiding them through the ship. He was among the few people to escape with the Betty, but was killed by the Newborn when he discovered the stowaway in the ship's docking bay. (A:RES)

DNA Reflex: The unique property of the Xenomorph organism to change its appearance depending on the host it gestated within. Aside from anatomical features, this characteristic also determines the size of the adult Alien.

Domes: A group of botanic space stations scattered across known space. The Domes were built during the middle of the 24th century when Earth's population threatened to destroy the flora of ecosystems like the rainforests. As many plants had pharmaceutical value, the Domes were conceived to preserve those plants in artificially created habitats. However, as time went on and Earth developed synthetic substitutes for the drugs the plants were originally needed for, the Domes faded into obliv- ion, and the operation was only continued because it was more cost-effective than dismantling. By the mid-80s of the 24th century, there were six Domes in existence, named Domes Alpha through Epsilon. At that time, the sixth Domes colony, Domes Epsilon, became notable for being the stage for the Domes Epsilon incident, a Xenomorph infestation instigated by the enigmatic Loki organization. (A:OS)

Domes Epsilon: A botanic space colony and the sixth of the Domes stations. In the mid-eighties of the 24th century, Domes Epsilon became the site of a Xenomorph infestation and was destroyed during the events surrounding this outbreak, which became known as the Domes Epsilon incident.

1. General information

Situated in the border regions, Domes Epsilon orbited around an unnamed planet and consisted of sixteen domes, each containing artificial habitats with a rich and varied plant life. These Domes were equipped with fully functional ecosystems, including an artificial food chain consisting of genetically engineered insects, running water and breeze generators, which were scheduled to run three times a day. Additionally, the rotation around the planet provided the plants with sunlight. No- table facilities include the control center, a main supply bay and a backup bay situated at Dome Six- teen. The habitats themselves spanned over a total area of 100 000 m², which prompted the staff to use Runabouts to navigate them more easily.

2. History

For most of its existence, Domes Epsilon was administrated by Philip Philipakos, who installed a heat sensor grid on the station in the early 60s in order to protect his young daughter Angela, who lived at Domes Epsilon with him. During the following decades, Philipakos put much effort in maintaining the colony, which included regular trading with the other Domes. However, this changed in the mid-80s when Domes Epsilon was targeted by the elusive Loki organization for a controlled Xenomorph infestation. The plan was eventually foiled by Ripley 8 and the crew of the Betty, but Domes Epsilon was destroyed during the incident using explosive charges in order to eradicate the infestation at the station. The events became known as the Domes Epsilon incident. (A:OS)

Domes Epsilon incident: A Xenomorph infestation aboard the botanic space colony Domes Ep- silon in the mid-eighties of the 24th century. Staged by the elusive Loki organization as part of their dealings with the Mala'kak, aimed to provide human-bred Xenomorphs the Mala'kak needed for

71 their medical research in combating their infertility. The plan was ultimately foiled by Ripley 8 and the crew of the Betty.

1. Prelude

Loki and the Mala'kak, also known as the Space Jockeys, had been maintaining contacts dating back to the Nostromo incident, and in the late 24th century, the necessity for a new cooperation between the parties had arisen. The Mala'kak were facing severe problems due to a genetic error that made them infertile. They eventually found out that the Xenomorph, an incredibly fertile species, might provide the key to heal this ailment, but were unwilling to diminish their population by killing individuals of their own species in order to breed Xenomorphs. Thus, the race turned to their long-time human allies and reached a new agreement: In exchange for the permission to colonize a world rich with minerals in Mala'kak-controlled space, humanity would provide them with a stock of human-bred Aliens. In the mid-eighties, several years after the Auriga incident, Loki set its plan in motion and chose the botanic space colony Domes Epsilon as the target for an Alien infestation.

2. Engineering the infestation

The plan was executed two-fold: Loki inserted the android Earl Cody to assist with the impregnation of the staff. The actual insertion of the Xenomorph organism was carried out by a Loki agent posing as a pilot delivering a regular shipment from Domes Gamma. The pilot successfully sneaked a Xenomorph Egg into Domes Epsilon among his shipment and also managed to secretly sabotage the main supply bay to prevent the staff from escaping and thus secure the impregnation. Soon after, the ship left, a staff member called Elijah Pandor stumbled upon the Egg while processing the delivery and became impregnated by a Facehugger. The rest of the staff, unfamiliar with the alien life form, placed him under medical observation and assumed that the crisis was over when the Face- hugger detached itself from Pandor's face and he awoke from his coma soon after.

3. Involvement of Ripley 8 and the crew of the Betty

However, Ripley 8 and the crew of the Betty, who had been searching for clues to Loki's plans for several years, had finally been able to learn of the planned infestation of Domes Epsilon by hacking into the data access node of Byzantium station. After escaping authorities and a Loki strike team, the Betty arrived at Domes Epsilon just as Pandor gave birth to the Chestburster. Ripley 8 established a com connection with Domes Epsilon and warned the station's administrator, Philipakos, of the immense danger they were in and demanded access to the main bay. Philipakos, who had just received news of Pandor's gruesome death, reluctantly agreed, just before access to the bay shut down and external communications went dead due to sabotage by the Loki agents. Left with no other option, the Betty docked onto Domes Seven and cut its own way into the colony. A hazard team consisting of Ripley 8, Call, Johner and Krakke entered Domes Epsilon and soon were received by Philipakos, who led them to the station's control center. After a heated discussion with the staff, Ripley 8 and the others convinced them to leave the station behind. While Call went out with Adrian Shepherd, the resident security officer, to find a stray staff member called Benedict, Ripley 8 and Johner departed for Domes Sixteen to investigate the backup bay as a possible means of escape. They found the bay intact and were about to depart when they were attacked by the grown Xenomorph. However, Ripley 8 and Johner quickly disposed of it. The relief was short, however, as Call and Shepherd encountered another Alien soon after discovering the remains of Benedict. As Philipakos and his daughter Angie managed to reactivate the heat sensor grid of the station, they

72 made a dark discovery: The sensor showed no less than a dozen full-grown Xenomorphs present on Domes Epsilon.

4. Escaping Domes Epsilon

After returning to the control center, Ripley 8, Call and the remaining staff members decided to make a break for the backup bay on the flivvers that were used to traverse the expansive terrain of the Domes. However, just as the group was about to reach the bay, several Xenomorphs crashed out of the jungle, wrecking the vehicles and scattering the survivors into the jungle where most of them were killed by the creatures. In the end, Ripley 8 and her comrades made it back safely to the Betty together with the two sole survivors of the colony, Angie and the resident dog called Rex. Cody had reached the Betty earlier and tried to foil the escape plan, but was overwhelmed by the crew members. Ripley 8 and Call interrogated the android, who would cooperate on one condition: Other androids had survived the purge and were now under Loki's control, and Call was to promise to free them. After Call had agreed, Cody revealed the purpose of the Domes Epsilon infestation shortly before a fail-safe system destroyed his basic functions. With Angie as a new crew member and the knowledge that Loki would retaliate soon, Ripley 8 destroyed Domes Epsilon by remote-detonating explosive charges that had been planted during the stay at the colony, and the Betty left the system. (A:OS)

Dowling: A member of the personnel at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. After the American had arrived at the base, Dowling and another staff member named Maxwell were ordered by Spears to check the cargo bay of the ship for anything salvageable. (A:B2 - NA)

Drake, Mark: A male human serving the USCM as a smart gun operator, sporting the rank of Pri- vate in 2179. Born on a prison world designated as Detention Planet 27 situated in the Requist system. Was part of the recon mission involved in the Hadley's Hope incident. By the time of the mission on LV-426, Drake had developed a close bond with Vasquez, the other smart gun operator of the unit. Tragically, during the Xenomorph ambush inside the colony's hive, Drake was killed by a spray of acid blood when Vasquez shot down a Drone near him. (A2, KAF)

Drapers: A male human and one of the colonists living at Hadley's Hope on LV-426. During the Xenomorph outbreak in 2179, Drapers led an armed scouting party to locate the Xenomorph hive while the other colonists erected a fortified shelter at the sub-level of the colony. The team eventually found the hive inside the substructure of the nearby Atmosphere Processor and were shocked to discover that the nest's population was much larger than anticipated. Upon encountering the creatures, Drapers and his comrades opened fire. During the engagement, Drapers notified the colony about the situation. He then was ordered to break off and retreat, but it was already too late: En- raged by the disturbance, the Xenomorphs slaughtered Draper's men and women and departed for the colony in full force. As Draper's comm connection went silent, the colonists hurried to the shelter. Badly injured, Drapers fought his way back to the colony. The Xenomorphs followed him to the barricade, careful not to kill their bait. When the colonists heard gunfire outside the shelter, they lowered the barricade after a heated argument, only to watch Drapers' mangled body drop dead in front of them. A moment later, the Xenomorphs swarmed through the gap and eliminated almost every single colonist inside the shelter. (A:NT)

Drone: The third stage of the Xenomorph life-cycle and the epitome of the species. Also known as Warrior Xenomorph, the Drone is – save for advanced types designated to hive control – considered to be the final, adult development stage. The Drone is an extremely dangerous and hostile organism,

73 something that applies to the Xenomorph species as a whole, but is most evident in this type. Its sole purpose is to serve the hive, to defend it and expand it. As the workforce of the hive and the backbone of the Xenomorph society structure, the Drone is the most common type of Xenomorph and therefore has become synonymous for the species as a whole. Depending on the circumstances and the availability of hosts, a Drone population can range from around 100 to millions. However, it would be fatal to underestimate the presence of even just a single Drone.

1. Role in Xenomorph life cycle and hive structure

A Drone is the result of a hatched Chestburster that has completed its transformation. As the workforce of the Xenomorph hierarchy, Drones are responsible not only for the protection and well-being of the hive, but also for its construction. To this end, these creatures are capable of secreting a resin-like substance they use to build the hive. A Drone is always in contact with its Queen through undiscovered, possibly subsonic or telepathic means. While this obviously provides a vast edge in efficiency, a Drone can also go into a state of shock if this contact is suddenly cut by the violent death of the matriarch. Drones are intelligent creatures, their skills being evident in their ability to use stealth, assess a tactical situation and even ambush their victims. Advanced operations, however, are probably directed by the Queen.

2. Anatomy

A Drone's body mass is about 20 percent larger than that of the host it originates from. Accordingly, a “human” Drone is about 2.5 meters tall, while its weight outmatches its former host at a much higher rate, amounting to almost 400 kilograms. Drones move both bipedally and quadrupedally and are able to climb on walls and ceilings, demonstrating their general speed and agility. Small firearms may take down a Drone relatively fast, though the organism has proven to be extremely resistant to environmental hazards like the vacuum of space. Their body structure is remotely humanoid, but features an exoskeleton covered by black oily skin, acidic blood and a long muscular tail. Sightings report that sometimes this tail sports a sting that carries a non-lethal toxin, which the Drone uses to paralyze potential hosts. Other times, the tail ends in a small fin the Drone uses to navigate in aquatic environments. The reason for this variation is unknown, but considering that the latter variation was spotted on the Drones resulting from the cloning project aboard the Auriga, one can assume that the variation is a by-product of the mixing of human and Alien DNA. Four tube- like organs extend from the back, the function of which has eluded the understanding of scientists. One theory suggests that they are used as some kind of snorkel when the creature is submerged in water. Another striking feature is the elongated head. This head sports no visible eyes, but theories suggest that that the expanded headcase houses sensory organs that would be a suitable equivalent. Another reason for the unique shape may originate in the creatures resilience to the vacuum of space, as this resilience originates from the unique anatomy of the skull, housing a natural compression chamber and a pseudohypothalmic regulator keeping the acid blood from freezing. The mouth features, among viciously sharp fangs, an inner jaw which can be extended with such speed and power that it can penetrate a human skull. Drones have been seen exhibiting different head structures: During the Nostromo incident, the Drone had a smooth half-transparent dome, while the Drones in the Hadley's Hope incident had a more carapace-like structure covering their heads. Scientists assume that Drones shed their smooth head covering once the carapace underneath it has fully developed, which would fit with the fact that the Hadley's Hope Drones had existed far longer than the Nostromo Alien.

74 Dropship: A collective term for a class of ships used for transferring people and equipment from a ship orbiting a planet down to the surface and vice versa. Dropships are used both for military and other purposes. An example of a dropship is the UD-4L “Cheyenne” combat dropship used by the USCM in the late 22nd century, including the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. (A2, A:INF, A:CMTM)

Dryner, Tobias: A male human and a scientist working for Bionational. Was involved in the Xenomorph outbreak on Earth in 2192, which would become known as the Earth War. By 2192, Dryner had worked his way to building a reputation as a brilliant scientist. Among his cre- dentials were an M.D., a T.A.S. and a Ph. D. During his study, Dryner had also acquired considerable marksman skills. Eventually, Dryner began working for Bionational. In 2192, he was assigned the task of medical surveillance of James T. Likowski, who had been retrieved by the corporation with a Xenomorph embryo gestating inside him. Likowski was held at Bionational's Houston facility, where Dryner took up work together with the vice-president of the Biomed Division, a man named Louis Reine, who, by virtue of his position, was the project's leader. When Likowski eventually gave birth, Reine was attacked by the Chestburster. In order to secure the specimen, Dryner shot Reine. Later, when the Xenomorph infestation of Earth had already started, Dryner was called in by Dr. Orona together with two Bionational representatives called Green and Red to discuss countermeasures. His final fate is unknown. (A:B1 – O)

Duncan: A male human working in a team of three technicians for Planetus in 2232, the other two being Gavin and Kelly. Was very ecology-minded, which had led him to sign up for Planetus in the first place. Was involved in the C-3 L/M incident. In 2232, the tech team Duncan was part of was tasked with examining the video records of a supposed Alien outbreak that had occurred at a Weyland-Yutani research facility on C-3 L/M, a planet shared by both corporations. The infestation turned out to be faked by Weyland-Yutani in a ploy to take over Planetus, and Duncan and his team were targeted for elimination. Together with Gavin and Kelly, he narrowly escaped the planet with the other Planetus personnel involved in the investigation. However, Weyland-Yutani had already succeeded in taking over Planetus and redirected the ship of the Planetus survivors to the colony world of Soulages where they were to face certain death at the hands of an actual Alien infestation. After landing on Soulages, the group explored the nearby settlement-turned-artificial-hive in order to find a possibility to escape the planet. When the group settled down for the night, Duncan and Kelly were taken by the Aliens and got impregnated. The others later found Duncan at the central crater, the Facehugger still attached to his face, and Anders Kramm, who had led the investigation of the incident, was forced to shoot him. (A:NE)

Duncan, T.M.: A male human and one of the individuals who reported Xenomorph-related nightmares caused by the Queen held by Bionational shortly before the Earth War in 2192. A therapist named Dr. Frankel provided counseling for Duncan. Duncan's nightmares were also investigated by a military scientist named Dr. Orona, who filed the case under Case # 232558. (A:B1 – O)

Duplis, A.: A female human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Duplis managed to escape the destruction of the Sephora and the Sulaco and participated in the defense of Hadley's Hope prior to the final assault on Weyland-Yutani. (A:CMVG)

Duplis, C.: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. After the destruction of the Sephora and the Sulaco in orbit of LV-426, Duplis managed to escape to Hadley's Hope. During the Xenomorph attack on Hadley's Hope prior to the final assault

75 against the Weyland-Yutani research facility, Duplis got trapped with a Xenomorph inside a small room near the medlab, but was freed and rescued by Corporal Winter. (A:CMVG)

Dutton: A cutter vessel in service of the Coast Guard during the late 22nd century. Was involved in the events surrounding the freighter Junket, which would become the catalyst of the Xenomorph infestation on Earth in the 2190s. In 2192, two Coast Guard officers named Barton and Lyle were dispatched aboard the Dutton to investigate and destroy an old freighter named Junket, which was dangerously close to entering Earth's atmosphere. Upon arrival, the Dutton launched a remote probe to explore the interior of the Junket. After blasting an outer hatch, the probe entered the ship and relayed disturbing images of the carnage caused by the Xenomorph aboard. After retrieving the ship's data banks, Barton and Lyle set the bomb and withdrew the probe. The Junket was then successfully detonated, but the Xenomorph had escaped aboard the probe and switched ships. The creature killed Barton and Lyle and, while doing so, caused a fatal hull breach which destroyed the Dutton, taking the Xenomorph with it. However, the data retrieved by the Dutton would reach EarthGov and provide it with the information necessary to launch an expedition to the Xenomorph Homeworld. (A:B1 – O)

Dvorak 10-CA: A low-ordnance nuclear explosive device. Used by the Coast Guard during the late 22nd century for destroying derelict spacecrafts in Earths orbit. A Dvorak 10-CA was deployed and detonated by the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Dutton in 2192 to destroy the wreckage of the Jun- ket. (A:B1 – O)

Dylan City: A colony on the planet KOI-784.01. Founded in 2062 after a terraforming delay of seven years. Maintained an industry focused on mining. Key resources of the colony were gold, titanium and hematite. (PR:WIW)

*** E ***

E-ration: A nutrient product. Often found in military supplies. While not particular tasty, it provides plenty of nourishment. (A:B2 - NA)

E-Space: A term abbreviating Einsteinian Space, a synonym for Einsteinian Warp. (A:B2 - NA)

Earth War: A global Xenomorph infestation on mankind's home planet Earth and countless military conflicts connected with it. Taking place in the 2190s, it was probably the most cataclysmic event in the history of men.

1. The seed

The roots for the Earth War took hold in 2192, when the Coast Guard cutter Dutton explored a derelict freighter named Junket in Earth's orbit. Unbeknownst to the crew of the Dutton, the Junket had been infested by Xenomorphs during the ship's stay on the creature's homeworld. Additionally, a single specimen had survived throughout the decades on the freighter. The Junket was destroyed according to plan, but not before the adult Xenomorph managed to jump ships. The creature killed the Dutton's crew, puncturing the hull in the process, destroying both the creature and the Dutton. However, shortly before its end, the Dutton was able to retrieve the Junket's data banks and send it to HQ. The data found its way to military high command, providing it with the location of the Xenomorph Homeworld. A joint operation to journey to the homeworld and retrieve a Xenomorph for research was initiated, involving Dr. Waidslaw Orona of EarthGov's genetic research branch

76 GENstaff, Colonel Stephens of the military and a marine named Wilks, the lone survivor of the Rim incident.

2. Conspiring forces

However, the events surrounding the rediscovery of the Junket had not gone unnoticed. Bionational Inc., a ruthless corporation specializing in biotechnology and owner of the ship, had become aware of the incident and the government's plans to follow the ship's trajectory to the Xenomorph Home- world. Also eager to get its hands on an Alien speciment, Bionational started its own mission to the homeworld. In the meantime, however, it had gained a far more immediate price: The missing pilot pod of the Junket, with the Junket's navigator James T. Likowski aboard in stasis – and a Xenomorph embryo gestating inside of him. Likowski was brought to a Bionational facility in Houston, Texas, where the gestation process was supervised by two Bionational researchers, Dr. To- bias Dryner and Louis Reine. The creature hatched successfully, attacking Dr. Dryner in the process, who had gotten too close to the hatching. During the attack, Reine killed his superior to ensure the creature's safety. The Chestburster was transferred to a high-security lab in Lima, Peru, where it quickly grew in size, revealing itself to be a Queen. Inside a sealed artificial environment, the Queen built a hive and began to lay eggs. At the same time, the creature started to send out a telepathic signal, resulting in unusually specific nightmares afflicting humans in a fifty-mile radius. Meanwhile, a man named Salvaje, who was a former employee of Bionational, had become reli- giously obsessed with the Xenomorph after he had learned of the Queen's existence due to his contacts inside the company. By splicing a message propagating his fanatic beliefs into the television network, Salvaje – with the “help” of the Queen's telepathic signal – quickly amassed a cult around him and led a devastating suicide attack on the Lima facility. While a security protocol destroyed the facility, the Queen and many of Salvaje's followers, it was already too late: Several infected cultists had escaped and slowly began to spread the Xenomorph organism in the surrounding region.

3. The infestation spreads

EarthGov, who had an ongoing investigation on Salvaje, learned of the incident soon after by interrogating a technician named Pindar, who had helped the cult leader with splicing his message into the network. Orona immediately contacted Bionational and arranged a meeting with Dryner and two representatives named Green and Red to discuss the imminent threat and ensure their cooperation to contain it. Meanwhile, with the help of infected cultists, the organism had spread as far as Chicago. Orona deployed military special forces which, under the invocation of the Planetary Security Act, could be deployed planet-wide in under three hours and followed up on any unexplained cases of disappearances. The aggressive contamination procedures at first proved very effective, resulting in the destruction of small nests in New Chicago, Lesser Miami, Havana and Madrid. During the following months, Orona's teams prevailed as the infestation thrived, razing larger nests in Paris, Mos- cow, Brisbane and Antarctic City. While Orona's and his affiliated military forces proved to be swift and capable, the general response by the civilian government was ill-prepared for the crisis. Eventually, the delayed reaction resulted in a coup d'état by the military. The new leaders applied a strict policy of contamination, which resulted in the creation of testing centers that scanned the general population for infection. At first, the tests were voluntary, but the grip of the military quickly hardened. The tests became mandatory, and citizens suspected of infection were shot without delay. Rumors arose that the military used the containment process to get rid of political dissidents and other problematic elements of society.

77 4. The tide turns

While it first seemed that, during the first few months after the destruction of the Lima facility, the military campaign spearheaded by Orona managed to keep the infestation in check, the situation quickly worsened. The Xenomorphs began to adapt to the extermination strategies of the special forces. Instead of concentrating their presence in large hives, the creatures resorted to create countless small nests, rendering large-scale military strikes useless and making detection difficult and containment effectively impossible. A noteworthy example is the infestation of Abidan and the surrounding countryside on the Ivory Coast in Greater North Africa. Within a fifty-mile radius, no less than 80 nests were discovered, where not only humans, but also cattle had been used for impregnation. With the Xenomorph's change of behavior, the infestation quickly escalated, and the military campaign followed suit. At the beginning of 2193, a giant hive consisting of a large number of small nests joined by tunnels had claimed Diego Suarez on the northern tip of Madagascar. Upon discovery, Orona was left with no choice but to deploy a whole division of forces to counter the infestation. Another dark landmark of the campaign took place two months later with the nuclear destruction of Jakarta by Orona's orders. In mid-2193, one year after the Lima incident, the Xenomorph infestation had consumed Australia to a point that the whole continent had to be placed under complete quarantine. Anyone who would try to travel to Australia or escape from it was shot down by Coast Guard satellites. Global infrastructure and human society was on the verge to collapse.

5. War

At this point, the military governments realized that containment was no longer an option and switched tactics from trying to eradicate the Alien scourge to establishing and protecting safe zones. Eventually, the local governments dissolved and united themselves to the Military Alliance, effectively suspending all national boundaries. Martial law was declared, providing the military with even larger authority in dealing with infected humans. All pretense of a protocol to be followed were dropped, and the mere suspicion that a civilian might be infected was enough to order her or his execution. At first, giving such an order was limited to military personnel ranked above colonel. This limitation, however, was quickly loosened until any soldier with a gun was allowed to kill an allegedly infected person. It was at this point in the war that human scientists made a horrifying discovery while researching captured Xenomorph specimens: The creatures were becoming more intelligent. While a normal adult Xenomorph was not above the intellectual level of an average dog, a Queen captured during an engagement in downtown San Francisco exhibited a level of intelligence comparable to an IQ of 175 – smarter than most humans. Added to this alarming development was the creatures' tenacity and willingness to sacrifice countless individuals to achieve their goals. In the end, it was the Xenomorph's persistent ability to adapt to given circumstances that ensured its victory. The infestation had now spread to even the most distant habitats on Earth, be it deserts, jungles or the Arctic ice.

6. Defeat

Now faced with the outlook of losing Earth to the Aliens altogether, a massive exodus of the civilian population started. Countless private starships fled to Luna or the asteroid belt beyond Mars, while a smaller number retreated to the colonies outside the Sol system. The Military Alliance eventually declared ownership of private vessels illegal, confiscating the ships to enable its own with- drawal of key personnel to the outer colonies. What little remained of any form of infrastructure fi-

78 nally broke down, including landlines for communication, which restricted its use to satellite relays, provided there was enough power to access them. Civilization was surrendered to anarchy. After the loss of around one billion human lives, humanity was abandoning Earth to the Xenomorphs. Together with roughly 600 million other humans, Orona remained on Earth, tucked away in a heavily fortified military complex. After chronicling the Earth War and initiating its broadcast as his last legacy, he committed suicide as the Aliens overrun the complex. But he also left another heritage: A stockpile of fusion bombs timed to detonate when the last high-ranking military personnel evacuated from the complex. The bombs would eradicate the Xenomorph and render Earth uninhabitable for a long time, but eventually, humanity might be able to return. It was shortly before the military's escape that the Benedict returned from its ill-fated mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld, accompanied by a lone Mala'kak aboard its vessel whom the Benedict's crew had encountered on the homeworld. Arriving on the pretense of an alliance, the Mala'kak quickly revealed that it was not interested in helping humanity, but to conquer Earth. Shortly after the last ships had left, the being deactivated the detonation sequence for Orona's bombs in order to protect its prize and retreated into orbit where it initiated a terraforming process to adapt Earth to the needs of its race.

7. The dark times

With all government and military key personnel either dead or evacuated, those left behind on Earth had to fend for themselves. Food and water shortage, missing power and, first and foremost, the Xenomorphs made every day a fierce struggle for survival. The creatures spread unhindered, further mercilessly decimating the human population. By the end of 2193, human casualties had risen to the billions, with a Xenomorph population on Earth of several millions. It was around the time these numbers were recorded that Earth was declared completely overrun. Meanwhile, civilian broadcasts also began reporting the sightings of the first Egg Silos. With the Xenomorph population ubiq- uitous, the telepathic signal of the Queens rose to massive intensity, which caused humans to freely seek out the creatures and submit to impregnation. However, it was not only the Xenomorph that proved an immense threat to the survivors, but also man himself. The creatures were aided by Bug Feeders, individuals who abducted other humans to bring them before the Queens for breeding. Other bands merely succumbed to anarchy and cruelty. Bombing runs on survivors using abandoned military vehicles were not unheard of. While rumors of shelters like the Hidden Underground were as numerous as dubious, the last real safe haven was Gateway Station in Earth's orbit, providing a home for over 15,000 refugees.

Easley, T.J.: A male-type advanced android developed by the human military. Comrade of Mitch Bueller. Easley belonged to a group of synthetic models created to act and feel like humans in order to facilitate their integration into combat service. As part of this objective, the subjects themselves were kept unaware of their artificial nature. In 2191, Easley and the others were united in a military squad and entered training as marines. This squad was designated First Squad, Fox Platoon, Com- pany Able, 1st Extee Division, Second Colonial Marines. One year later, when the military decided to deploy the androids for the Benedict mission, Easley and the others underwent special training under David Wilks in order to prepare them for dealing with Xenomorphs. For this mission, he bore the rank of Private. During the voyage of the Benedict, Easley, doing patrol duty, stumbled across Stephens, the mission's leader, communicating with the Bionational intercept. Before Easley could report the betrayal, Stephens stuck a grenade in his suit and shoved him out of an airlock. The subsequent explosion killed Easley. (A:B1 – O)

79 Echo Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-899.03. Founded it 2057, Echo Outpost would sport a population of 3.25 million by 2071. Its industry focused on mining and refining KOI-899.03's vast resources of the rare earth element yttrium, making the colony the leading provider of the metal in the latter half of the 21st century. Another key resource was nobium. (PR:WIW)

EEV: Abbreviation for Emergency Escape Vehicle. Describing a class of small modular vehicles installed aboard larger ships to eject and evacuate personnel in case of an emergency. EEVs are not full-fledged ships, often only provided with a very limited range and control capacities, its sole purpose being to safely transport personnel away from the crisis zone and home in towards the nearest ship, station or inhabited world. An example of an EEV is the Bodenwerke-Gemeinschaft Type 337 used by the USASF and USCM for their Valley Forge and Conestoga-class starships. A set of ten 337s were also installed aboard the Sulaco, which were ejected during the electrical fire shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident. Sev- eral other EEVs of the same time crash-landed on LV-426 after the destruction of the Sulaco and the Sephora during the Origin incident later the same year. (A3, A:CMTM)

Egg: An egg-like organism containing the Facehugger stage of the Xenomorph life-cycle. Sporting a leathery skin, a Xenomorph egg is quite durable and equipped to sustain a Facehugger over an in- definite amount of time. Furthermore, the egg is equipped with sensory organs that allows it to sense when a suitable host is nearby. If that is the case, the four lids on top of the egg open, releasing the Facehugger. A Xenomorph egg is created by a Queen and laid using a large ovipositor attached to her. An egg can be fed with a substance called Royal Jelly, altering the Facehugger inside to carry a Queen embryo. Unconfirmed reports suggest that an alternate form of creating a Xenomorph egg may exist, where a living organism can be used by an adult Xenomorph to transform it into an egg.

Egg Harvester: A remote-controlled robot drone used by Weyland-Yutani scientists to harvest Xenomorph eggs from the artificial hive on the planet Soulages. The Egg Harvester moved on threads, and its setup consisted of a large holding chamber and four appendages, of which two were equipped with guns while the other two sported grabbing pincers. Anders Kramm, Frances Stauff and Bjorn Heyward fought an Egg Harvester on the landing pad of the hive during the C-3 L/M incident in 2232. (A:NE)

Egg Silo: Artificial, dome-shaped structures erected by the Xenomorph species. Replaces tradi- tional Xenomorph hives in their function. Egg Silos are only created when the Xenomorph population on a planet has reached the level of global domination. Thus, the only two instances of Egg Si- los were encountered on the Xenomorph Homeworld and on Earth during the Xenomorph infestation in the 2190s.

Einsteinian Space: A synonym for Einsteinian Warp. (A:B2 - NA)

Einsteinian Warp: A state of faster-than-light travel. Spaceship equipped with Gravity Drives were capable of using the Einsteinian Warp. Though highly advanced, the Einsteinian Warp made the use of cryotubes necessary as it had severely adverse effects on the human psyche. (A:B1 – O)

El Salvador: The smallest country of Central America. At an unknown point in time, El Salvador was devastated by a military conflict. By the end of the 22nd century, El Salvador had not been restored yet. In 2193, the ruins of El Salvador was a potential candidate as a landing site for Spears' Xenomorph army due to its historical significance as a battlefield. (A:B2 - NA)

80 Electroball: A sport. Played by two players in a hexagonal court, the goal is to earn points by bat- ting the ball so that it will hit as many surfaces as possible, with the minimum being hitting three walls for one point. Similar to tennis, the players play the ball back and forth between each other to keep the ball in the game. The name derives from the fact that the racquets are electrically charged, accelerating the ball to speeds over 120 kilometers per hour. In the late 22nd century, holographic table versions of Electroball were available. Bionational representatives Green and Red regularly played matches using such a table version. (A:B1 – O)

Elgyn, Frank: A male human and the leader of the band of smugglers involved in the Auriga incident. Captain of the Betty and the romantic partner of Hillard. Had been acquainted with General Perez, the commander of the Auriga, before the incident. When the cloning project aboard the Auriga proved to be successful, Elgyn struck a deal with Perez: In exchange for hard cash, he would deliver a special cargo to the research vessel: humans. Elgyn and the crew of the Betty hijacked a passenger liner bound for Xarem and transferred the occupied cryotubes to the Betty. Shortly before the incident, the Betty docked with the Auriga and loaded off the cargo. Afterward, Elgyn met with Perez, inquiring about the secretive circumstances and the purpose of their special cargo without any success. Elgyn was later killed during the escape to the Betty when he was ambushed by a Xenomorph while looting a seemingly abandoned corridor for weapons. (A:RES)

Ellis: A male human and a Colonial Marine. In the late 2170s, Ellis was part of the USCM recon mission to the colony world of Rim. He was killed during the fight against the Xenomorph infestation the squad had uncovered on the planet. (A:B1 – O)

Empress: A larger variant of the Xenomorph Queen. The need for an Empress arises when there are several Xenomorph hives sharing the same territory. The hives will then fight for supremacy, and after the Queen of the inferior hive has been eliminated, the victorious Queen transforms into an even more monstrous incarnation and takes up control of the remains of both hives, effectively merging them into a single, larger Xenomorph society. During the Sulaco incident in 2179, the marines from the USS Sephora encountered a Xenomorph specimen aboard the Sulaco that looked similar to a Queen, but was far larger, possibly classifying it as an Empress. (A:GEN, A:INF)

Encephalopod: An alternative term describing the Xenomorph. (A:OS)

Engineers: A term used to refer to a sentient species belonging to the enigmatic Mala'kak collective. The moniker was coined by Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, who was involved in mankind's first major contact with the Mala'kak Engineers during the LV-223 incident in 2093. Shaw chose this term because she believed that the race had artificially created and thus “engineered” mankind. An Engineer looks similar to a human, even sharing the same DNA, as discovered by Dr. Elizabeth Shaw during the LV-223 incident. However, this humanoid is a third taller, has a pale complexion, black eyes and no body hair. Additionally, these beings are a lot stronger and tougher than humans. The Engineers also have an oral language akin to several ancient human languages. The individual encountered during the LV-223 also wore a biosuit in line with the bio-organic look of the Jugger- naut vessels the species commandeered. As it is the case with the Mala'kak as a whole, the history of the Engineer is virtually unknown. What is beyond dispute is the fact that it was a technologically advanced species, possessing the means to travel the galaxy thousands, if not millions or billions of years before mankind. However, the research of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw uncovered evidence hinting to the strong possibility that the En-

81 gineers had created human life – perhaps even all life on Earth – in the distant past. Around 0 BC, an unknown event let the Engineers reconsider the value of its creation. On LV-223, an Engineer weapon world, the beings began to prepare the genocide of mankind, choosing a pathogen dubbed Black Goo as the means of destruction. However, an accident caused the chemical to be spilled, killing all but one Engineer. The mission was over before it even began, and the last Engineer entered cryosleep. LV-223 was discovered by mankind during the LV-223 incident in 2093. The members of the Prometheus mission discovered the weapon storage facility and eventually awoke the surviving En- gineer. Furious, the being killed almost the entire remaining expedition and started up the Jugger- naut vessel inside the compound. However, the ship was destroyed before it could leave the planet. (PR)

Entcom: A hardware technology used for storing media files for entertainment purposes, such as movies. Was in use during the late 22nd century. (A:B1 – O)

Eric: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Was working as the cook of the prison community. Eric was one of the prisoners killed during the last ditch effort to lure the Alien in the blast furnace. (A3)

Erica: A female human. Had at one time worked on Domes Epsilon, but left the botanic space colony for a job at a research lab on Earth one year prior to the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid- 80s of the 24th century. (A:OS)

ES / # 04082079: Elizabeth Shaw's caller ID. Used to contact Sir Peter Weyland in 2079 to request funding for an expedition to LV-223. (PR)

Ethan: A male human and one of the colonists who were abducted by Weyland-Yutani in the aftermath of the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179 and brought aboard the research vessel Legato to be used as hosts for scientific experiments involving Xenomorphs. Ethan was impregnated and awoke to witness the chaos ensuing when a Xenomorph outbreak occurred aboard the Legato after she had arrived at the Sulaco. Amidst Wey-Yu forces desperately trying to contain the outbreak and Xenomorphs wreaking havoc aboard the ship, Ethan managed to reach a storage hold where he stumbled upon a fellow colonist named Lisbeth Hutchins. Ethan informed her about the current crisis and urged Lisbeth to leave the ship, but was killed mid-conversation when the Xenomorph gestating inside him erupted from his chest. (A:CMVG_SI)

Europa: One of Jupiter's moons. Discovered in 1610. Became notable for the discovery of micro- organisms gathering near thermal vents beneath the moon's ice layer in 2017, concluding the JIMO project revived by Weyland Industries. By the year 2071, Europa was monitored by a permanent orbital research station. (PR:WIW)

Eva: A female human and a UPP soldier. When the UPP located the Sulaco shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179, Eva led a small scouting force tasked with exploring the vessel. Af- ter the arrival, Eva and her team was successfully inserted and began with their mission. Eventually, they stumbled upon Bishop's remains and extracted data concerning the events at Hadley's Hope, which they sent to UPP headquarters for analysis. However, while Eva and the other soldiers were still aboard the Sulaco, a Weyland-Yutani freighter named Legato docked with the ship. When a Xenomorph outbreak occurred aboard the freighter, the creatures quickly reached the Sulaco and killed all members of the UPP scouting team except Eva, who went into hiding. Eventually, the

82 USCM corps also found the Sulaco, and an advance team was dispatched which picked up Eva's life signal aboard the ship. The USCM launched a full-scale investigation, with Fire Team Fox receiving the task of finding the source of the life signal. After chasing Eva through the Xenomorph-infested Sulaco, the fire team eventually managed to capture Eva and bring her to safety. Subse- quently, Eva was interrogated and revealed the UPP's plan to harvest the Xenomorph from the Derelict on LV-426. Eva's final fate is unknown. (A:INF)

Evac Fighter: A small aircraft used by the USCM Corps. Operated by one pilot. Equipped with the Alienator missile system and a capture pod. (KAF)

Evolution of Television, The: A book written by Emmett Webster. Published by DH Press in 2057. The subject of the book is the evolution of television and its transformation from its state during the 1990s to the massive increase in channel numbers and the reemergence of religious programming following the dissolution of the FCC to the development of the Eye-Box. (A:B1 – O)

Explorers Academy: An alternative grad school for underprivileged college students founded by Weyland Industries on August 25, 2036. It offered classes on the subjects of biotechnology, nan- otechnology, cybernetics and terraforming. Graduates were offered the opportunity to enter employment of Weyland Industries. (PR:WIW)

Eye-Box: A television technology introduced in the middle of the 21st century. Also called Retinal Switch. Initiates a random channel switch upon detecting an involuntary change in the retina of the viewer. The introduction of the Eye-Box forced television stations to design their programs with the aim to avoid these retina changes. (A:B1 – O)

*** F ***

Facehugger: The first stage of the Xenomorph life-cycle. Spider-like in its appearance, a Facehug- ger's body consists of a torso, eight finger-like appendages and a muscular tail. This anatomy makes a Facehugger extremely fast and agile, which makes up for its small size and vulnerability. Unlike most other Xenomorph incarnations, a Facehugger's skin has a pale brown color. However, like any other stages of the Xenomorph life-cycle, its blood is acidic in nature. A Facehugger begins its life inside an egg laid by the Queen. When a host is nearby, the egg opens, and the Facehugger uses its tail to propel it into the host's face, enveloping it in a firm grip around the head. Should the initial impregnation attempt fail, the Facehugger will viciously pursue its victim to make another attempt to attach itself. Using an extendable appendage on the underside of its torso, the Facehugger implants the Xenomorph embryo it carries inside the host through the mouth. For the majority of the embryo's growth, the Facehugger remains attached to the organism, keeping it alive by unknown means. The tail, which is wrapped firmly around its throat, and the acidic blood make it virtually impossible to remove a Facehugger once it has attached itself. When the embryo development into the Chestburster stage is ensured, the Facehugger's purpose is complete. It removes itself from the host and shortly after, the Facehugger dies.

FCC: Abbreviation for Federal Communications Commission, an independent organization affiliated with the government of the United States of America. Tasked with regulation all forms of public communication in the USA. In the late 22nd century, the FCC was dissolved, leading to dramatic changes in the nature of television programming and other communication mediums. (A:B1 – O)

83 FDA: Abbreviation for Food and Drug Administration, an organization of the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States of America. The FDA is responsible for regulating and ap- proving a range of products, among them food, pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices. The FDA approved the landmark Medpod 720i by Weyland Industries on June 30, 2070. (PR:WIW)

February Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-898.03. Established in 2069, February Outpost would boast a population of 29,000 by the year 2071. The colony's industry focused on mining and refining. Key resources were yttrium, platinum, gold and nickel. (PR:WIW)

Feildcrest Home: A psychiatric ward located on Earth. In 2182, Billie, a traumatized survivor of the Xenomorph infestation on Rim, was admitted there and remained in the clinic until she was freed by Wilks in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Ferro: A planet. Ferro was a barren world without a moon or large plant life and ravaged by rough climates. By the late 22nd century, humanity had colonized the planet. After surviving the Rim incident as the only civilian, Billie moved to relatives on Ferro, but left the planet in 2182 to undergo medical treatment on Earth due to increasing mental stress caused by the traumatic events on Rim. (A:B1 – O)

Ferro, Colette: A female human and a Colonial Marine, who bore the rank of Corporal in 2179. Trained in piloting a Cheyenne dropship. Was part of the USCM unit involved in the Hadley's Hope incident. Ferro was responsible for performing the combat drop that brought the recon party down to the colony. She was later killed by a Xenomorph stowaway when she piloted the dropship to the At- mosphere Processor to pick up the survivors of the ambush inside the hive on Sub-Level 3. (A2)

Fifield: A male human and a space geologist who was part of the Prometheus mission in 2093. Fi- field's trademarks were leisurely clothes, a Mohawk and tattoos on the bald sections of his scalp. By the time Fifield joined the crew of the Prometheus, past missions had taken their toll on his mental stability, resulting in a wary and cynical personality. After the ship had landed on its destination, the moon LV-223, Fifield was part of the team exploring the Pyramid, responsible for cartographing the facility using Spectagraphs. When the team found the body of a decapitated Engineer at the door to the Ampule room, Fifield panicked and left the team together with Millburn to return to the Prometheus. On their way out, the two got lost in the labyrinthine corridors of the Pyramid and were forced to further extend their stay when Janek informed them that a storm raging outside would prevent them from leaving until the following morning. After discovering several dead Engi- neers and remnants of skin shed by a Hammerpede, Fifield and Millburn ended up in the Ampule room, encountering two live Hammerpedes. When one of the creatures attacked Millburn, Fifield tried to cut it off, only to be sprayed with its corrosive blood. The liquid quickly ate through Fi- field's faceplate, who then fell into a puddle of the Black Goo. The chemical weapon infected the scientist and mutated him into a twisted, feral beast during the night. The next day, Fifield returned to the Prometheus and viciously attacked the personnel present in the cargo bay, killing several crew members before he could be dispatched. (PR)

Fiorina 161: A remote planet located in the Neroid sector and the location of the Fury 16 incident. An inhospitable world ravaged by rough winds and dominated by oceans and barren landscapes, although the atmosphere is sufficient to support human life and nourishes a fauna mainly consisting of fish and insects. While during daylight, the surface can be traversed in sufficient clothing, the temperature drops significantly during the night.

84 1. The penal colony

The only human settlement on Fiorina 161 was a maximum security correctional facility for XX- male criminals. The Fiorina 161 complex was a vast installation spanning over 10 square kilometers in length. Originally, the complex had been an ore refinery built by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation to harvest platinum-class minerals. When the refinery ceased to be profitable, the corporation rented out the place as a prison. Weyland-Yutani still owned the place and eventually wanted to completely close down the facility. However, in the meantime, the prisoners had formed a religious community under guidance of Dillon and refused to go. The corporation decided to refrain from closing the prison, instead keeping the remaining staff of 25 people as caretakers, should the refinery become profitable again someday.

2. Role during the Fury 16 incident

By 2179, the facility had reached a state of deterioration, leaving almost the entire security surveillance system non-functional. Large portions were abandoned and the equipment had been left behind to be picked up by prisoners during scavenger hunts. Even the heavy duty vehicles remained on the planet because it would have been to costly to transport them off-world. This policy resulted in large parts of the bay adjacent to the facility filled with enormous amounts of scrap and wreckage. A prominent feature was several blast furnaces once used to melt the raw materials into form for transportation. By 2179, the furnaces were mainly used for cremation funerals. During the Fury 16 incident, they were fired up again, first for giving last rites to the bodies of the man identified as Hicks and Newt and later for luring and killing the Xenomorph let loose in the prison. The Wey- land-Yutani team sent to secure a Xenomorph just arrived in time to witness Ripley killing herself and the Queen embryo inside her by dropping down into the furnace. Subsequently, the team relocated the only survivor, the prisoner Morse, and shut down the facility. (A3)

Fire Team Delta: A USCM fire team involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. During the initial investigation aboard the Sulaco, Fire Team Delta was assigned the task of securing the command center of the ship. During this mission, the Xenomorphs aboard the ship attacked Delta and killed off at least one team member. Despite Lieutenant Colonel Steele's assistance, the situation soon grew too tense, forcing the rest of Fire Team Delta to retreat to the Sephora. The final fate of Fire Team Delta is unknown. (A:INF)

Fire Team Echo: A USCM fire team involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. After arriving at the location of the Sulaco aboard the USS Sephora, Echo was deployed aboard the ship, its objective to locate and retrieve the flight recorder. Before the team could complete its mission, it came under attack by the Xenomorphs on the vessel and lost at least one team member. Lieutenant Colonel Steele offered assistance via comm, but eventually, the hostile presence became too overwhelming, and Echo had no other choice but to begin its retreat to the Sephora. The final fate of Fire Team Echo is unknown. (A:INF)

Fire Team Fox: A USCM fire team that played a vital role during the Sulaco incident in 2179.

1. General information

Fire Team Fox was part of the USCM contingent sent aboard the USS Sephora to investigate the abandoned Sulaco shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident. Like the other marines, Fire Team Fox

85 was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Steele, the leader of the operation. The original roster of the team included Corporal John Cameron, Private Buddy Whistler, Lance Corporal Saman- tha Johnston and Private First Class Brock Paulson, although this setup would change and be expanded during the course of the incident.

2. Original mission

After arriving at the scene, Fire Team Fox was deployed aboard the Sulaco, with its mission objective to track down a single life signal which had been picked up by an advance team. During this mission, the team also located a terminal and made advanced exploration of the Sulaco possible by syncing the computer systems of the two ships. Soon after, Fire Team Fox found the source of the signal, which turned out to be a UPP soldier named Eva. However, securing the person was thwarted when the Xenomorphs aboard the ship revealed themselves and started to attack throughout the ship. Fire Team Fox was in close pursuit of Eva, following her into the hive, where the team fought and defeated the Xenomorph Queen. Shortly after the confrontation, the team caught up with the fugitive and successfully extracted her to the Sephora.

3. LV-426 & Going rogue

Following intel provided by Eva, the Sephora traveled to LV-426 to interfere in the UPP's plan to harvest the Xenomorph eggs. Fire Team Fox infiltrated the UPP compound and successfully sabotaged gun emplacements and a radar station. When the situation grew tense, the team was forced to divert to a secondary extraction point at the Derelict aboard a hijacked APC. Due to damage taken from the chasing Xenomorph, the APC crashed into the pilot chamber of the vessel. There, Fire Team Fox encountered the monstrous Xenomorph that had once hatched from the Derelict's pilot, the Space-Jockey Alien. After the creature was killed, the team returned to the Sephora. In the meantime, Steele had uncovered a conspiracy involving Weyland-Yutani and backers at the USCM to use the Xenomorph as bio-weapons and decided to launch an unofficial mission to prevent this from happening. When he asked Fire Team Fox to participate, it followed without hesitation and began its mission aboard the Sulaco. Despite Weyland-Yutani's attempts to exert pressure, Fire Team Fox proceeded to investigate the cargo of Xenomorph eggs belonging to the Company and found out that the cargo had escaped and that another infestation was underway. After the team had discovered and eliminated the Xenomorph Queen, it landed on Phobos to investigate the Wey- land-Yutani research station there, the place for which the Sulaco's cargo was intended. The team discovered that the Company had conducted breeding experiments with Xenomorphs for several years, only to lose control and be killed at the hands of the escaped specimens.

4. Final confrontation with Weyland-Yutani

Back on the Sulaco to hold Wey-Yu representative Sean Davis responsible, open hostilities emerged between the two factions. Fire Team Fox undertook several attempts to stop the Sulaco from reaching its destination near Mars, only to be foiled by Davis. Eventually, Fire Team Fox confronted Davis in the ventral cargo bay. Suddenly, the Xenomorph Empress that had taken control of the Alien population on the vessel appeared and killed Davis. A dramatic battle between the marines and the huge creature ensued, during which an explosion ruptured the hull and threw the Sulaco off course. The Empress eventually collapsed under the combined firepower, and Fire Team Fox returned to the Sephora which then withdrew from the scene.

86 5. Fate

The final fate of the members of Fire Team Fox is unknown. However, it is possible that Weyland- Yutani was able to exert its influence on the USCM and that the marines were tried and executed for treason. (A:INF)

Fischer, Amber: A female human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Buster”. Amber was born in the mid-2170s as the youngest child of four. Suffering under the overprotective- ness of her siblings, Fischer yearned for independence during her youth. When they managed to scare off her prom date, she finally had enough and enlisted in USCM service. Despite the fact that she was discriminated against for her attractive and petite appearance and her sheltered upbringing, Fischer managed to earn the respect of her superiors and comrades. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Fischer had obtained the rank of Private First Class. During the engagement on the vessel, Fischer was separated from her team, but later rejoined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Flatnose: The nickname Johner gave a cargo hauler who was present during the raid of the Betty crew on Byzantium Station several years after the Auriga incident in 2381. A tall and muscular man, the name refers to his flattened nose. Johner provoked a fight with Flatnose in the mess hall of the station in order to provide a distraction for the security personnel aboard Byzantium Station so that Call could access its mainframe unhindered. (A:OS)

Flavovirens: A genetic disorder affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in green and yellow-green highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Flip Ship: A term coined to describe a space ship whose crew fell victim to the erratic actions of a crew member who had suffered a mental breakdown. Examples are incidents during which such a crew member opened critical airlocks or flooded the ship with radiation. In 2192, the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Dutton at first erroneously identified the Junket as a Flip Ship upon discovery, when its crew had actually been massacred by a Xenomorph. (A:B1 – O)

Fontaine, Trish: A female human and a member of the team of scientists assigned to the cloning project aboard the Auriga in the late 24th century. Unlike the other scientists, she was still ranked as a PhD student. It is unknown whether Fontaine escaped the Auriga during the Xenomorph outbreak or died aboard the ship. (A:RES)

Forcher, Z.: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked, Sergeant at the time. After the Lieutenant commanding Forcher's squad had been killed during the incident, Forcher replaced him and proved to be a capable and inspiring commander. Unfortunately, Forcher was killed by a Xenomorph Drone soon after. (A:CMVG)

Ford: A female human and the medical officer of the clandestine mission aboard the science vessel Prometheus in 2093. Ford assisted Dr. Elizabeth Shaw in the examination of the severed Engineer head and was later knocked down by her when she tried to take Shaw to the Cryosleep tubes after David had discovered the Trilobite embryo inside Shaw's body. After the revelation of Peter Wey- land's presence, Ford assisted Weyland during the application of his exoskeleton and accompanied him and the remaining crew members into the Juggernaut. When the communication attempt with

87 the last Engineer turned out fatal, Ford was killed by the being together with all other crew members except Shaw. (PR)

Fortune 500: An annual ranking of the 500 most successful companies by Fortune magazine. In the version of the list published on December 15, 2037, Fortune named Weyland Industries as one of the Top 10 companies to work for. (PR:WIW)

Frank: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Sentenced for life at the Fiorina 161 penal colony. He discovered the Queen Facehugger that had impregnated Ripley in the slaughterhouse of the facility. Unaware of the true nature of what he had found, he mistook the Xenomorph for an indigenous life form He later was killed by the Xenomorph during the preparations for capturing the Alien. His death caused the quinitricetyline used in the attempt to be triggered prematurely, killing several prisoners in the process and almost foiling the plan. (A3)

Frankel: A human and a therapist. Provided counseling for T.M. Duncan, one of the individuals reporting Xenomorph-related nightmares shortly before the Xenomorph infestation on Earth in 2192. The log of this counseling was relayed to Dr. Orona, a Xenomorph specialist working for EarthGov. (A:B1 – O)

Frost, Ricco: A male human and a Colonial Marine. Was ranked Private, Frost was trained in driv- ing an APC. He was a part of the fateful recon mission to LV-426 which would turn into the Hadley's Hope incident. Frost was killed during the Xenomorph ambush inside the colony's hive when he was engulfed by the flamethrower Dietrich had accidentally triggered during the frenzy. (A2)

FTL: Abbreviation for Faster-Than-Light, describing the ability to move faster than the speed of light. The term is also used in conjunction with technological devices that enable a spacecraft to travel at such speeds, like an FTL drive. FTL technology was discovered by Weyland Industries on May 20, 2032.

Full-Auto Action Replacement: A weapon modification for the 88 Mod4 Combat Pistol that upgrades the gun to full automatic firing. (A:CMVG)

Full Brain Reconstruction: A severe penalty in use during the late 22nd century. One crime war- ranting a Full Brain Reconstruction is illegal access to documents requiring a A-1/a clearance. (A:B1 – O)

Full Isolation Technique: A technology that fully isolated a medical or research installation against outside contaminants. Personnel who want to enter such a facility have to wear full osmotic suits and carry their own air supply. Bionational had at least one Full Isolation Technique-equipped room, which was situated in its Houston facility. James T. Likowski was placed in this room during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Fulvus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in earth-colored highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Fury 16: An abbreviated nickname for Fiorina 161. (A3)

88 Fury 16 incident: A Xenomorph infestation on the prison planet Fiorina 161, nicknamed “Fury 16”, in 2179. It was the third and final encounter between the two races involving Ellen Ripley and also the third failed attempt by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation to secure a Xenomorph specimen for its bio-weapons division.

1. Stranding on Fury 16

The Fury 16 incident took place only several weeks after the Hadley's Hope incident. The three survivors of that incident, Ripley, Rebecca “Newt” Jorden and Corporal Dwayne Hicks were in hypersleep aboard the Sulaco on its journey back to Earth. By the time they entered hypersleep, they were unaware that several Xenomorph eggs had been smuggled aboard the ship. Eventually, the eggs hatched, and the Facehuggers set out to follow their purpose. When one of the creatures tried to get access to Newt's cryosleep tube, the glass was ruptured and injured the Facehugger, spilling his acid blood on the ground. The liquid found its way into a maintenance area beneath the hypersleep facilities and ate through critical equipment, causing an electrical fire in the process. The ship integrity was fatally compromised, and the mainframe ordered the hypersleep tubes to be transported into one of the Sulaco's EEVs. Subsequently, the Sulaco went back to normal speed, arriving in orbit of the Outer Rim planet Fiorina 161. All of the ship's ten EEVs were ejected, among them the only occupied escape vehicle carrying the survivors of the Hadley's Hope incident. The EEV set course to the nearby planet and, lacking a landing beacon to safely land, crashed into the ocean near the only human settlement on the planet, a correctional work facility operated by Weyland-Yutani. During the crash, Newt and seemingly also Hicks were killed while still in hypersleep, leaving Ripley to be reported as the sole survivor. Her unconscious body was flushed out of her cryotube and was spilled onto the nearby beach.

2. Arrival at the penal colony

Clemens, the medical officer of the facility, witnessed the crash and found Ripley's body on the shore. He carried her back to the prison where he put her under medical care and ordered some prisoners to retrieve the wreckage from the bay. Andrews, the administrator of the prison, was also notified, who in turn sent a message to Weyland-Yutani, reporting what happened and requesting immediate extraction of Ripley. The Company at first merely acknowledged the reception of the message. Meanwhile, one of the Facehuggers from the Sulaco, which had also survived the crash, attacked and impregnated the dog of one of the prisoners who helped in transporting the EEV into the complex without being seen. Later that day, Andrews formally informed the prisoners of the situation.

3. A dark premonition

Ripley was brought to the facility's infirmary for recovery. Eventually, she woke up and was filled in by Clemens about the situation. Ripley decided to check out the EEV and went to the wreckage with Clemens, where they discovered an acid burn on the inside of the wreckage. Fearing that there may be a Xenomorph present, Ripley convinced Clemens to perform an autopsy on Rebecca Jor- den's body under the pretense of a possible cholera infection. However, the results of the post- mortem did not confirm her suspicions, and in the evening, the bodies of Hicks and Jorden were cremated in one of the blast furnaces. It was during this funeral that the Xenomorph embryo completed its gestation period, erupting from the animal and disappearing into the depths of the complex unnoticed.

89 4. First death

Ripley tried to settle into her temporary life at the facility, even developing a sexual relationship with Clemens, when the fully-grown Xenomorph killed its first victim. The victim, a prisoner called Murphy, was cleaning Ventilation Shaft 22 in the second quadrant when he accidentally stumbled upon the creature's hideout. The Runner attacked Murphy, which caused him to stumble into the fan and get ripped into pieces. The death was discovered, and Clemens was called to the scene to provide his medical opinion. While it seemed obvious to the administration that Murphy's death was a tragic accident, another acid burn in the shaft aroused Clemens' suspicions. He went to search for Ripley and found her as she was retrieving the blackbox of the EEV from the wreckage. At Ripley's request, Clemens pointed her to the scrapyard where the remains of the android Bishop had been taken. She hooked up Bishop's remains to the blackbox and ordered the android to reconstruct what happened on the Sulaco. Bishop confirmed Ripley's worst fears: Xenomorphs had been present on the ship, and Weyland-Yutani knew about it. Meanwhile, Andrews received a new message from the company, ordering him to treat Ripley as a top priority. Aware of the relationship between Clemens and Ripley, he called the medic to his office in order to get more information about Ripley. How- ever, as Ripley had not let Clemens in on the possibility of a Xenomorph presence, Andrews' attempt was without success.

5. The dragon reveals itself

During an expedition to an abandoned part of the complex, three prisoners were attacked by the Runner, leaving only the prisoner Golic to survive and return to the inhabited parts of the facility. Golic told the inmates about the Xenomorph, but since Golic's mental state was questionable, An- drews came to the conclusion that Golic killed the other prisoners and ordered Golic to be straitjacketed in the infirmary. Ripley, however, came to a different conclusion and made a futile attempt to warn Andrews. Ripley returned to the infirmary, only to witness the creature killing Clemens, but oddly leaving her unharmed. Panicked, she ran into the nearby mess hall, where Andrews was about to organize a search party for the supposedly missing prisoners. Again, Andrews ignored her warning, but was taken by the Xenomorph in front of the whole assembly of prisoners, making the existence of the creature a known fact among the community.

6. Trapping the Xenomorph

Scared and demoralized, the prisoners convened with Ripley to devise a plan to destroy the Xenomorph. As there were no weapons and the security surveillance system was inoperative, the options were limited. With no means to kill the creature available, the group decided to lure the Runner into a heavily armored industrial vault normally used for nuclear and toxic waste. The plan was to drive it into the vault by covering the corridors leading to it with a highly inflammable liquid called quinitricetyline. The plan was eventually successful, but during the preparations, the Xenomorph killed one of the prisoners and thus triggered the liquid prematurely. The fire cost many prisoners their lives before it could be put out.

7. Escape and the devastating truth

With the Xenomorph trapped, Ripley informed Weyland-Yutani of the threat and the successful capture. Suspicious of the company's agenda, she requested permission to eliminate the creature, regardless of the fact that they did not have the necessary equipment on site. Her fear that Weyland- Yutani would rather have the specimen alive for study was confirmed when the company immedi-

90 ately denied that permission. Meanwhile, Golic, whose encounters with the Xenomorph had led to a mental breakdown, managed to flee the infirmary and release the creature from the vault. By this time, Ripley's rapid deterioration in health led her to consider the possibility that she may have been impregnated with a Xenomorph, and a medical scan inside the EEV wreckage confirmed her worst suspicions, with not only a Xenomorph, but a Queen gestating inside her. The results of the scan were subsequently transmitted to Weyland-Yutani, which decided to act on the promise of gathering a live Xenomorph specimen and sent the modified Conestoga-class starship Patna under the command of an advanced Bishop-type android en route to Fiorina 161.

8. Death of the Xenomorph and Ripley's sacrifice

Ripley and the surviving prisoners decided to try one last effort to kill the Xenomorph. The idea was to kill the creature by luring it into one of the facility's blast furnaces, and Ripley was to play a key role as she had discovered that the creature would not endanger the Queen embryo inside her and would therefore not harm her. The Xenomorph was eventually killed after many of the remaining prisoners had given their life for the plan to succeed. The Weyland-Yutani team arrived at the furnace to find Ripley, Aaron and Morse as the only survivors of the Xenomorph infestation. The leader of the team, who introduced himself as “Michael Bishop”, the supposed creator of the Bishop android model, tried to convince Ripley to come with him. Ripley refused and sacrificed herself by throwing herself into the molten lead, taking the Queen embryo with her.

9. Aftermath

The team shut down the facility and left, but not before taking blood samples of Ellen Ripley for cryogenic storage, which would lead to a successful cloning of Ripley and the Queen inside her 200 years later. Aaron had been killed after he had attacked Michael Bishop, and so, Morse remained as the only survivor of the incident and was relocated to an undisclosed location. However, he wrote an account of the Fury 16 incident which would get leaked to the public. The book was banned, but at least one copy of the text survived the purge. (A3)

*** G ***

G-Force Assessment: A test program of the Project Prometheus Training Center. Had the designation A2. The second test of five tests total and of two evaluating physical capabilities, the applicant had to keep focus on a specific task while being exposed to considerable gravitational forces. (PR:WIW)

G2 Electroshock Grenade: An electric pulse grenade developed by Armat. After hitting the ground, the G2 springs up roughly one meter and discharges an electric pulse. Nicknamed Sonic Electronic Ball Breaker. (A:CMVG)

Garbage Control: An organization monitoring space debris orbiting Earth that was active during the late 22nd century. Worked together with the Coast Guard by relaying information about objects in danger of entering the atmosphere. (A:B1 – O)

Garnett: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines of the USS Sephora involved in the Ori- gin incident in late 2179. Garnett was part of team Rhino 2-3's foray into the Sulaco. When the Xenomorphs attacked, Garnett was incapacitated together with most of his other teammates and taken to a hived section of life support where he was cocooned and impregnated. Some time later,

91 Garnett died giving birth to a Xenomorph. His cocooned corpse was later discovered by Corporal Winter on his follow-up mission. (A:CMVG)

Gateway Station: A space station orbiting Earth. Built in mid-22nd century, Gateway consisted of four huge tower modules connected by struts in a cube-like configuration. The station was very large, at least half as large as the expansive Lunar One colony. Gateway was a hub for commercial and military activities in known space. Gateway also acted as a customs post where all goods were processed before reaching Earth. The space station further housed living spaces for civilians, housing 15,000 inhabitatants until the Earth War began in 2193. After Ripley's shuttle, the Narcissus, had been discovered in 2179, she was brought to Gateway for recovery. Gateway Station was also the place where her subsequent inquiry was held. Some time later, the fateful recon mission to LV-426 departed from Gateway aboard the Sulaco. During the Xenomorph infestation of Earth in the 2190s, Gateway became a safe haven for refugees, upholding this status with strict decontamination protocols. The personnel aboard the station were also constantly monitoring signals coming from Earth in order to stay up-to-date on the situation on the planet. In 2193, Wilks and Billie, two key figures of the Earth War, fled to Gateway Station from General Spears' ship during the final hours of the Spears incident. After arrival, they watched as Spears' plan to battle the infestation with his own Alien army backfired with devastating results. Af- terward, they met up with an android resembling the deceased Ellen Ripley to discuss plans to free Earth from the Xenomorph scourge. Gateway still existed at the end of the Alien infestation on Earth in 2197. (A2)

Gavin: A male-type android working as a technician for Planetus in 2232. Gavin was part of a team of three, together with his colleagues Duncan and Kelly, who were unaware of Gavin's synth identity. Was involved in the C-3 L/M incident. In 2232, Planetus was informed of a possible Alien outbreak at a research station operated by Wey- land-Yutani on the planet C-3 L/M, which was owned by both Planetus and Weyland-Yutani. To- gether with Duncan and Kelly, Gavin was assigned with the task of scanning the video footage from the facility's security cams. Eventually, the supposed infestation turned out to be a ruse by Weyland- Yutani to take over Planetus, and Gavin and his colleagues were targeted by the Company for elimination. Together with his team, the two ex-marines Bjorn and Jolena Hayward and the two investigators, Anders Kramm and Frances Stauff, he narrowly escaped C-3 L/M aboard an automated Planetus spacecraft. However, Weyland-Yutani, who had acquired Planetus in the meantime, redirected the course of the ship to Soulages, a former colony world infested by Aliens. After the landing, Gavin and the other survivors explored the nearby settlement, hoping to find some means of escape. There, he lost Duncan and Kelly to the Xenomorphs, leaving him as the only survivor of the three technicians. Gavin, Kramm, Frances and the Heywards managed to traverse the hive, only to be denied access to an elevator leading to the communications station. Gavin decided to reveal his android identity and overrode the door lock by plugging into its keypad. When he tapped into the system of the communications terminal, the system reacted violently towards the intruder and killed Gavin by infecting him with a computer virus. (A:NE)

Gedda: The second moon of Gliese 581 g. Discovered in 2049. In 2056, the discovery of a microfauna along the moisture-rich equator prompted further scientific exploration, resulting in a permanent staff of 128 scientists. (PR:WIW)

Gediman, Jonathan: A male human and a member of the science team assigned to the cloning project operated aboard the USM Auriga in 2381. A gifted scientist and assistant to the project's leader, Dr. Wren. Once Ripley 8 had proven to be a successful creation, Gediman was entrusted by

92 Wren with supervising and performing the extraction of the Queen embryo. He felt a paternal affection for his creation and convinced Wren to let Ripley 8 live after the extraction. After a sufficient number of Xenomorphs had been cultivated, Gediman proceeded with behavioral studies of the creatures, noting their ability to communicate and learn. Later, he witnessed the Xenomorph outbreak first-hand and was taken to the Queen's hive. Shortly before the Auriga's destruction hours later, Ripley met a cocooned and insane Gediman in the hive, who was then killed by the newly- hatched Newborn. (A:RES)

Genentech: A biotech company operating during the 21st century. Was acquired by Weyland Indus- tries on September 30, 2026. (PR:WIW)

GENstaff: A branch of the human military specializing in genetics and, by extension, bio-warfare. In 2192, GENstaff was responsible for initiating the Benedict mission in order to obtain a Xenomorph specimen for research. Spearheading the planning of the mission was Dr. Waidslaw Orona, the leading mind on Xenomorph research and an affiliate of GENstaff. It was also this organization who insisted on the participation of a Colonial Marine named David Wilks, whom it deemed invaluable due to his first-hand experience with the Xenomorphs. (A:B1 – O)

Ghahwagi, Karim: A male human working as an atmosphere specialist at a Weyland-Yutani research station on C-3 L/M in the early thirties of the 23rd century. In 2232, Weyland-Yutani reassigned a major part of the research staff, including Ghahwagi, to root out a Planetus spy at the facility. (A:NE)

Gizhamme: A member of the USCM contigent stationed at Third Base during the Spears incident. Belonging to First Platoon, A Company, Gizhamme was part of the troops accompanying Spears to the terraformer colony in order to deal with a group of dissidents. (A:B2 - NA)

GJ 667Cc: A planet. Mankind installed an Atmosphere Processor on GJ 667Cc during the first half of the 21st century and managed to transform the atmosphere of the planet to a state where it was breathable by humans in 2039. This marked the first successful application of the concept on another world than Earth in human history. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 581: A red dwarf star in the constellation Libra, 20 light years from Earth. Weyland Indus- tries colonized and mined several planets, including Gliese 581 c and Gliese 581 e, in the vicinity of Gliese 581 to develop a new type of 5.56 millimeter ammunition that had the unique characteristic of being uninfluenced by atmospheric conditions. The Gliese 581 system was also the site of major research facilities of Weyland Industries' electronics division during the 2070s. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 581 c: A planet in the Gliese 581 system. By the year 2072, Weyland Industries maintained a colony on Gliese 581 c (PR:WIW)

Gliese 581 d: A planet in the Gliese 581 system. Terraformed between 2046 and 2054. In 2054, a colony called Unity City was established, which would sport a population of over 4 million by the year 2071. Notable for its massive reserves of industrial diamonds. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 581 e: A planet in the Gliese 581 system. By 2072, Weyland Industries maintained a colony on Gliese 581 e. (PR:WIW)

93 Gliese 581 g: A planet in the Gliese 581 system. Terraformed from 2049 to 2056. In 2056, a colony called Coronado colony was founded on the planet. The colony would become a center for advanced technology research and sport a population of almost 4 million by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 667 cb: A planet in the Gliese 667 system. 22 light years away from Earth. Terraformed between 2034 and 2042. In 2042, a colony called Levon Colony was established on the planet, which would sport a population of 1,5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 667 cc: A planet in the Gliese 667 system. 22 light years away from Earth. Terraformed between 2034 and 2042. In 2043, Morrison Outpost was founded on the planet to mine its ore deposits, growing to a population of 2,3 million people by 2071. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 667 cd: A planet in the Gliese 667 system. 22 light years away from Earth. Terraformed 2034 to 2042. In 2044, a colony called Dante Colony was established and would sport a population of 11 million by the year 2071.

Gliese 876 b: A planet in the Gliese 876 system. 15 light years away from Earth. After being terraformed from 2040 to 2048, Xiwang Colony was established on the planet in 2048, maintaining mining and refining operations to exploit the planet's large amounts of natural gases and housing a population of almost 10 million by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 876 c: A planet in the Gliese 876 system. 15 light years away from Earth. Notable for being the most temperate planet of the system. Was terraformed from 2040 to 2048. In 2048, Weyland In- dustries founded a colony called Chiu Outpost on the planet, which would house a population of over 14 million people by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

Gliese 876 d: A planet in the Gliese 876 system. 18 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2045 to 2053, introducing verdant forests that had been cloned and transplanted from Earth and would become one of the planet's key resources. In 2053, Wan An Outpost was founded on Gliese 876 d which would sport a population of over 11 million by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

Gogolac: A female human and one of the colonists involved in the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid-80s of the 24th century. Considering herself unattractive due to her tough appearance, she nevertheless possessed a strong will. Gogolac had at one time been in a relationship with another colonist called Hamilton-Cross, which failed prior to his death. During the Domes Epsilon incident, Gogolac was among the convoy of the surviving staff members to the backup bay. After the trek had been ambushed by Xenomorphs, Gogolac was picked up by Call together with Cody and brought to the Betty safely. However, Gogolac was killed by a Xenomorph that had managed to enter the cargo bay unseen and attacked shortly after the last survivors of the incident had returned to the Betty. (A:OS)

Golic: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Was sentenced for 32 grizzly murders and 13 acts of arson. Was an outcast even among his fellow inmates, who claimed that he was dangerous and avoided him whenever they could. Some time after Ripley had arrived at the colony, Golic was on an assignment in the depths of the facility together with Boggs and Raine when the Xenomorph attacked and killed his two comrades. Golic survived, however traumatized by the encounter, and was found sitting in the mess hall covered in the blood of the victims. Although Golic reported a “dragon”, Andrews did not believe his

94 story, instead coming to the conclusion that Golic had went insane and killed Boggs and Raine himself. Golic was straitjacketed and put under surveillance in the infirmary. He eventually witnessed the death of Clemens by the hands of the Xenomorph. This event took its toll on Golic's mind who started to admire the creature and to deem it some sort of deity. After the Alien had been captured, he persuaded Morse, his only friend, who was on guard duty, to release him, claiming that he was of no danger to anyone. Fatally, he believed him. Golic knocked Morse unconscious and went to the vault where the Xenomorph was contained. Golic killed the prisoner Arthur, who stood guard in front of the vault, and freed the Alien, which swiftly repaid Golic by killing him. (A3)

Gonzales, Maria: A female Caucasian-Hispanic human. Born in 2168. Was one of the individuals afflicted with Xenomorph-related nightmares caused by the Queen held by Bionational during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192. Disturbed, Gonzales sought counseling and was interviewed by a Dr. Ranier. Gonzales' nightmares were also investigated by a military affiliate named Dr. Orona, who filed her case under Case #23325. (A:B1 – O)

Gorham Colony: A mining colony on the planet KOI-2650.01. Established in 2067, Gorham Colony would sport a population of 1 million by 2071. Was connected to the deepest mining setup of the Outer Veil as of 2071, with shafts reaching up to 23 kilometers beneath the surface. Key resources were cobaltite, chromite and titanium. (PR:WIW)

Gorilla Alien: A hulking Xenomorph breed originating from a large ape-like creature that was sighted on the jungle planet Zeevan, where it had grown to a small hive of 51 workers governed by one Queen. Unique anatomical features included large and muscular arms and a high acid concentration in its blood of a ratio of 75.32 percent. A similar breed originating from chimpanzees was encountered on the Weyland-Yutani research facility on Phobos during the Sulaco incident in 2179. (KAF, A:INF)

Gorman, William: A male human and member of the USCM corps. In his capacity as Lieutenant, Gorman led the recon mission to LV-426 in 2179 which would turn into the Hadley's Hope incident. Gorman accompanied Carter Burke as a representative of the Colonial Marines on his visit to Rip- ley where Burke notified her of the communication breakdown with the colony and tried to convince her to join a recon mission to the planetoid. During the mission, Gorman kept his distance to the unit assigned to the mission and later showed his inexperience and incompetence during the coordination of the squad's foray into the Xenomorph hive. He was oblivious to the fact that the hive was dangerously close to the Atmosphere Processor's cooling systems and, in a fatal lapse of judgment, ordered the unit to dispose of their weapons once he was made aware of the situation. When the Xenomorphs attacked, Gorman was unable to react to the sudden chaos and had to be removed forcefully from command by Burke to enable Ripley to drive the APC into the hive and rescue the soldiers. During the rescue, Gorman was injured and rendered unconscious and had to be brought to the medical facilities of the colony for treatment and recovery. This situation enabled Hicks to take command and order the unit to regroup and evacuate. He was released from medbay shortly before the Xenomorph attack on the command center and later died, sacrificing his life together with Vasquez by blowing up a grenade inside the vents to cover the escape to the dropship. (A2)

Grandfather: A nickname Pindar attributed to one of the two TIA agents interrogating him about his dealings with Salvaje, the leader of a cult worshipping the Xenomorph, in 2192. The nickname was probably conceived because Pindar was under the influence of mind-altering drugs at the time. (A:B1 – O)

95 Grandma: The visualization of a monitoring program used at the Feildcrest Home mental ward to interact with and inform patients during visits. Has its name because the image used resembled a kind, old woman. (A:B1 – O)

Grant: One of several large transport vessels stationed at Third Base at the time of the Spears incident in 2193. When Spears was about the leave Third Base after the failed mutiny, he ordered all his marines to board the Grant, seemingly planning to take them with him. However, when Spears departed, he crippled the Grant's drives just like those of the rest of the spaceworthy vessels. (A:B2 - NA)

Gravity Drive: A faster-than-light spacecraft drive technology introduced in the late 22nd century. Greatly outmatched conventional FTL drives concerning maximum traveling speed and was even able to enter the Einsteinian Warp. The drive operated through “waves” running through the entire vessel and required no thrusters, therefore eliminating any kind of exhaust. Another beneficial side effect was the fact that the fields the drive generates provided a protection far superior to conventional armor. However, Gravity Drive-equipped vessels also had one major caveat: The weight the ship was carrying had to be carefully calibrated with the drive. A spaceship with unaccounted weight risked severe course deviations. Despite its superior speed, hypersleep chambers were still a necessity on very long trips and ventures into Einsteinian Warp. Shortly before Earth War, Gravity Drives were widely spread, at least among military vessels. Ac- cordingly, many ships that played a key role during these events were equipped with this technology. The government transport ship Benedict used a Gravity Drive during the eponymous mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in the 2190s, as did the K-014, an interceptor vessel sent by the Bionational corporation to thwart the Benedict's mission. The American, a cargo drone which would bring the survivors of the Benedict mission to Third Base, thus initiating the Spears incident, was also powered by a Gravity Drive, as were the Jackson and the MacArthur, the two large transport vessels Spears used to bring his Xenomorph army to Earth later during the incident. (A:B1 – O)

Great Truth: The name the fanatic Salvaje had given to the message he propagated with his Xenomorph-worshipping cult, the Church of Immaculate Incubation, in the late 22nd century. De- scribes the Xenomorph as a god-like being and the act of impregnation as a gateway to salvation. (A:B1 – O)

Great Unwashed, The: A slang word for the general populace used during the late 22nd century. In- vented in the 19th century by the writer Edward George Bulwer-Lytton. Pindar and Salvaje used this term during their discussion about splicing a message of the Church of the Immaculate Incubation into the Network 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Green: A male human and a vice president of Bionational. With his colleague named Red, Green was responsible for initiating and planning Operation Outreach in 2192, which aimed to secure a Xenomorph specimen from its homeworld. After a Xenomorph Queen held by Bionational had started a global Xenomorph infestation, Green, Red and Dr. Dryner, the scientist responsible for the Queen, attended a meeting with Dr. Orona of EarthGov to discuss containment options. (A:B1 – O)

Greenlief, E.: A male human and one of the marines of the USS Sephora involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. During the incident, Greenlief was killed by Weyland-Yutani Sentry Guns which he mistook for USCM turrets. (A:CMVG)

Greens: One of the seven corps of Spears' Xenomorph army. (A:B2 - NA)

96 Gregor: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident in 2179. He was one of the prisoners who tried to rape Ripley at the scrapyard and was later injured during the igni- tion of the quinitricetyline during the attempt to capture the Alien. Gregor was killed during the bait and chase aimed at luring the Xenomorph into the blast furnace. (A3)

*** H ***

Hadley's Hope: A colony on LV-426 which would become the site of the second major contact of mankind with the Xenomorph organism during the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179.

1. General information

Founded to the North of one of the Atmosphere Processors installed on the planetoid during the 2150s after the processors had transformed the atmosphere of LV-426 to a state where it could be breathed by humans. Sporting a population of around 60 or 70 families (or 158 individuals) at the time of the incident, Hadley's Hope consisted of a set of modular buildings divided in the West wing of the commercial and residential area and the East wing consisting of the administration facilities Additionally, the colony was delineated by a storm wall in the North. The settlement was self-sufficient and equipped with medical facilities and a research lab. A communications relay kept Hadley's Hope in touch with Earth, but was limited to sending transmissions over an orbital installation with a delay of one week. The colony was sponsored and at least partially operated by Weyland-Yutani.

2. The Hadley's Hope incident

During the first 20 years of its existence, Hadley's Hope remained functional without any major dis- turbances. When Burke passed along the coordinates of the Derelict to the colony's administrators Simpson and Lydecker for investigation in 2179, the Jorden family volunteered and departed from Hadley's Hope with one of the Daihotai tractors of the colony. Soon after, a distress call from the Jordens reached Hadley's Hope. Russ Jorden had been impregnated by a Facehugger while exploring the Derelict and was brought to the colony's medical facilities for treatment. The inevitable ensued, and in a matter of days, the colony was infested with Aliens. The colony was damaged and put in disarray during the attack due to attempts by the colonists to fight the Xenomorphs. Eventually, the creatures retreated to the hive they had set up in the Atmosphere Processor nearby. When the recon mission arrived at Hadley's Hope roughly two months later, the general systems of the colony were still functional. However, during a Xenomorph ambush in the processor's hive, the cooling systems were damaged, and within hours, the reactor went critical and exploded, presumably taking the entire colony with it.

3. Aftermath and Origin incident

While Hadley's Hope as a whole was ruined after the explosion of the Atmosphere Processor, large parts of the facility remained relatively intact, even maintaining a functioning power grid around the former administration building. The lower sections and the sewers of the colony became a retreat for remnants of the original Xenomorph nest which had been mutated into deformed monstrosities by the fallout of the Processor's explosion. During the Origin incident, Lieutenant Cruz, the commanding officer of the second mission of the USS Sephora to the Sulaco in orbit of LV-426, chose Hadley's Hope as a temporary headquarters after he and other marines had escaped the destruction of both vessels to the surface of the moon. After establishing a presence at the old command center,

97 the marines used the comm relay to send out a signal for other survivors to regroup at the colony. Within hours, enough Marines had arrived to bolster defenses and subsequently repelled a massive Xenomorph attack on the colony. After fending off the onslaught, the colony served as a staging area for the USCM forces, which now amounted to over 60 marines, to start their final attack on the Weyland-Yutani research facility. (A2, A:CMVG)

Hadley's Hope incident: A Xenomorph outbreak in 2179 that involved the colony of Hadley's Hope on LV-426 and the subsequent investigation by USCM forces. It was the second major contact with the organism involving Ellen Ripley. The event would eventually become known among USCM as the “Acheron massacre”.

1. Rediscovery of the Narcissus

The incident began when, 57 years after the Nostromo incident, the Narcissus and with it the only survivor of this fatal encounter with the Xenomorph, Ellen Ripley, were recovered by a deep space salvage team presumably on May 16, 2179. On June 8, the salvage team arrived at Gateway Station orbiting Earth where Ripley was put into medical care for recovery. It was during her four-day recuperation that Ripley met Carter Burke, a representative of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation who had been sent to assist its former employee. On June 12, an inquiry was held aboard Gateway, where Ripley presented an account of the Nostromo incident. As there was no hard evidence for the existence of the Xenomorph, the inquiry dismissed Ripley's story and revoked her flight officer's license while refraining from filing charges. Burke retrieved the coordinates of the Derelict on LV-426 from the inquiry protocol and sent them to the colony of Hadley's Hope, which had been set up on the planetoid during the previous decades, to investigate.

2. Xenomorph outbreak at Hadley's Hope – Part 1:

A week later, on June 19, Hadley's Hope received the transmission and sent out the colonist Russ Jorden to investigate the coordinates. When Jorden left the colony on June 21, he took his family with him on the assignment, including his daughter Rebecca Jorden. Later that day, the Jorden family discovered the Derelict, and Russ went inside to investigate the ship together with his wife, Ann Jorden. During this investigation, Russ found the Xenomorph eggs inside the Derelict's cargo hold and became impregnated by a Facehugger. Soon after, the colony administration received a distress call from Ann Jorden, and subsequently, Russ was brought back to the colony and placed under medical care. In the meantime, another search party of colonists went to the Derelict to look for information. One day later, having finished the impregnation, the Facehugger detached from Russ' face and died, and a short time later, Russ woke up, seemingly unhurt. However, around the same time that the search party returned with more infected colonists, Russ died giving birth to a Chest- burster in front of his wife and a medical doctor named Kent. The Xenomorphs now quickly began to roam the colony, picking off the colonists one by one.

3. Xenomorph outbreak at Hadley's Hope – Part 2:

Amidst the tension, one last message reached Hadley's Hope that marines would come to investigate and assist. Aware of the dire situation, the remaining colonists decided to barricade themselves in the sub-level storage areas of Hadley's Hope until help would arrive. Shortly before the decision was made, another search party had gone out to locate the Xenomorph hive and found it at the At- mosphere Processor, shortly before the retreat to the sub-level was to take place. The party was quickly decimated, but as the communication to the team went silent, the sensors showed that the

98 search party had stirred up the Xenomorphs, which were now approaching the colony in full force. Upon receiving the news, the colonists wasted no time and hurried to the sub-level. On July 3, 2179, Colony Administration lost contact with the colony. At first, the plan of the colonists seemed to work. But when noises were heard from outside, an argument erupted about what they should do. One faction believed that the noises came from the remnants of the team sent to locate the hive and that the barricade should be lowered while the other faction wanted the barricade to remain closed in order to protect the colonists inside. Eventually, the former faction won out, and the barricade was opened, only to fall right into a trap set by the Xenomorphs, which overrun the sub-level and massacred the civilians inside. During the attack, Re- becca Jorden lost both her mother and her brother, but managed to escape into the vent system of the colony. While Rebecca was able to survive inside the ducts, the colony ceased to exist: Every other colonist was either killed or brought to the hive for impregnation.

4. Recon mission to LV-426

Now forced to take Ripley's story into account as at least a possibility, a military reconnaissance mission was assembled to be sent to LV-426 to investigate the communication breakdown. For this mission, Lieutenant William Gorman was given command of a squad of Colonial Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 9th Regiment. Ripley was approached to take part in the mission as an adviser in exchange for having her license restored, and, after initially refusing, agreed to join. Burke, who was sent to supervise the mission on behalf of Weyland-Yutani, which had considerable financial investment in the colony, was also part of the roster. On July 6, Ripley, Burke and the Marines departed Gateway aboard the Conestoga-class space transport Sulaco.

5. Initial exploration

Three weeks later, on July 27, the Sulaco arrived at LV-426. Bishop, the android assigned to the mission, proceeded to check out the deep-space communication relays to find it intact, excluding the possibility of a mechanical failure as the cause of the breakdown. At 09:00, the party left for the surface aboard one of the two UD-4L “Cheyenne” dropships aboard the Sulaco. During an initial flyover of the colony, it was discovered to be seemingly abandoned, with power basically intact. The dropship proceeded to land and deploy the party aboard an APC. Next, a large part of the Ma- rine squad went out to investigate the complex, entering the Operations & Administration wing through the North Lock. Quickly, signs of battle were discovered, along with burn marks caused by Xenomorph blood. The rest of the party, including Ripley, Burke and Gorman, entered the wing soon after through the South Lock. The possibility of the Xenomorph being involved became a fact when the second party discovered Facehugger specimens contained in stasis tubes inside the medical facilities. Minutes later, Ripley and the Marines made an astounding discovery: Rebecca Jorden, who had managed to survive the Xenomorph onslaught by hiding in the colony's vent system. Re- becca was brought to the colony's command central where the squad set up a temporary headquarters. While checking the mainframe, PFC William Hudson, the communication tech of the squad, discovered that the PTD signals of the colonists were all emanating from Sub-Level 3 of the nearby Atmosphere Processor. Soon after, the group departed aboard the APC and entered the outer areas of the Processor.

6. Disaster

When the Marines reached Sub-Level 3, they discovered that the whole structure has been transformed into a Xenomorph hive. The Marines were ambushed by the Xenomorphs, and only by Rip-

99 ley's efforts, who had stayed behind in the APC, a number of Marines managed to escape the hive. However, several soldiers didn't make it out and were either killed or captured for impregnation, including the squad's commander, Gunnery Sergeant Apone. Ripley suggested to evacuate and nuke the entire site from orbit. While Burke objected on the pretense of damaging Weyland-Yutani property, his authority was superseded by Corporal Dwayne Hicks, who had stepped up to the position of commander after Apone had been taken and Gorman had been rendered unconscious during the escape. The dropship's pilot, Warrant Officer Ferro, was ordered to pick up the survivors; however, the plan was foiled when a Xenomorph stowaway killed Ferro, and the dropship crashed into LV- 426's surface, crippling the APC and leaving the remaining members of the mission stranded in the process.

7. A new plan and betrayal

Knowing that a rescue party would not arrive for another 17 days, Hicks ordered a retreat to the command center and set up a perimeter defense with Ripley's assistance, using the sentry guns salvaged from the APC. The sentries had managed to fight off an initial attack when Bishop found out that during the ambush inside the hive and the ensuing firefight, the cooling systems of the Atmos- phere Processor had been critically damaged and the reactor would explode in about 4 hours, taking the entire colony with it. The survivors developed a plan to remote-access the second dropship aboard the Sulaco and pilot it down for evacuation. As all equipment necessary for doing this from the command center had been damaged, Bishop volunteered to go out to the colony's transmitter and use a mobile terminal in order to directly tap into the transmitter and call down the dropship from there. A second onslaught was barely stopped by the sentries, but the survivors knew that the Xenomorphs would have no difficulties in entering the headquarters in their next assault. While Ripley and Newt were asleep inside the medical facilities, Burke released the Facehuggers in the stasis tubes in order to impregnate Ripley and Newt and smuggle the Xenomorph specimens inside them past ICC quarantine back to Earth and into the possession of Weyland-Yutani. However, Rip- ley managed to set off the fire alarm, and both were rescued just in time by the Marines.

8. Escape and Newt's rescue

As Ripley and the others contemplated what to do with Burke, the Xenomorphs managed to get inside the command center by using the maintenance space above the room. A desperate escape ensued, during which Burke was captured by a Xenomorph and taken to the hive. Newt led the remaining survivors through the vent system to the landing platform, but got separated and also taken by a Xenomorph. Ripley and Hicks, who were the only members of the mission left by this point, managed to reach the landing field, where Bishop was about to land the dropship. Ripley, who had developed a maternal affection for Newt, refused to leave without the girl and ordered Bishop to fly the dropship inside the Atmosphere Processor. Ripley managed to find Newt inside the hive and was about to leave with her when she was confronted by the Xenomorph Queen. Ripley destroyed the eggs inside the Queen's chamber and resumed her escape, with the enraged Queen right behind her. Just as the processor was about to explode, Ripley and Newt escaped to minimum safety distance aboard the dropship.

9. Final confrontation

Back at the Sulaco, Hicks, who had been injured during the escape, was put into medical care. However, the Queen had been able to enter the Sulaco as a stowaway inside the landing strut space of the dropship and was unleashed in the docking bay, ripping Bishop in half. Ripley entered a Pow-

100 erloader to fight the creature and subsequently managed to flush it out of one of the Sulaco's airlocks. With the crisis finally over, the Sulaco set course back to Earth, and Ripley, Hicks and Newt entered hypersleep – unaware that Xenomorph eggs were aboard the ship, an event which would eventually lead to the Fury 16 incident. (A2, A:NT)

Haines: A human mercenary who was part of the Bionational intercept of the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld. Haines was killed when the winged creatures attacked the team near the Alien hive. (A:B1 – O)

Hale, David: A male human and a Weyland-Yutani scientist stationed at the Origin facility on LV- 426 in 2179. Was working on the Xenomorph subjects in the capacity of an incubation specialist. During a containment break, Hale got impregnated by a Facehugger. After the parasite had detached from his face, his colleague, Doctor Steven Hale, tried to remove the embryo from David Hale's body, but his attempt resulted in his death due to the cancerous nature of the infestation. It is unknown whether Steven Hale was David Hale's relative or husband. (A:CMVG)

Hale, Steven: A male human who worked as a scientist for Weyland-Yutani at the Origin facility on LV-426 in 2179. One of his research subjects was the observation of the Xenomorph life cycle. When his colleague, Doctor David Hale, got impregnated during a quarantine accident, Steven Hale ignored the recommendations of his colleagues and tried to remove the embryo from David. His attempt ended in disaster, resulting in David's painful death as the cancerous placenta of the creature made an extraction without killing the host impossible. It is unknown whether David Hale was Steven Hale's relative or husband. (A:CMVG)

Haliperidol: A highly potent antipsychotic. Was used during the late stages of Billie's treatment at Feildcrest Home in the 2190s. (A:B1 – O)

Hamilton-Cross, Colin: A male human. Worked as a colonist aboard Domes Epsilon and was in a short-lived relationship with another colonist called Gogolac before he died of a heart attack some time prior to the Domes Epsilon incident. His legacy was a black Labrador he had owned called Rex, which fell into the shared care of the other colonists after his death. (A:OS)

Hammerpede: A worm indigenous to LV-223 mutated by the Black Goo chemical weapon. Origi- nally a very small creature with a length of only a few centimeters, the Hammerpede form is a much larger and stronger snake-like creature, over one meter long and as thick as a human's arm. The head section consists of an orifice covered by two lobes of skin which can be retracted to reveal the orifice, giving it an appearance similar to a cobra snake. As with all Black Goo mutations, the Ham- merpede displays very aggressive behavior. Additionally, the organism has a defense mechanism in the form of corrosive blood, an interesting similarity to the Xenomorph. The Hammerpede is also able to grow back severed body parts, including its head. At least one of the Pyramid weapon depots built by the Engineer race on LV-223 housed a population of the worms inside one of the storage chambers for the Black Goo. In 2093, the Prometheus mission led mankind to the distant planet. Eventually, the crew of the ship entered this particular pyramid and disrupted the self-contained atmosphere seal of the Pyramid, causing the Black Goo to leak out of its storage Ampules. Unbeknownst to the crew, who had proceeded to other parts of the facility, the dark liquid infected at least two of the worms and transformed them into the Hammer- pede form. Later, the scientists Fifield and Millburn returned to the storage chamber and discovered the creatures. In a fatal lapse of judgment, Millburn approached one of the creatures, only to be attacked by it. The Hammerpede wrapped itself around the man's arm and broke it. Fifield managed

101 to sever its head, which was immediately replaced by a new one. However, The temporary wound spilled a load of blood on Fifield, eating through its helmet and incapacitating him. The Hammer- pede then proceeded to kill Millburn by shoving its body through a hole in his suit and down his throat. Later, the other crew members found Millburn's corpse, stirring up the creature from the car- cass, which then vanished into the depths of the installation. (PR)

Handy, A: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Sergeant at the time. Was assigned locker number 03.TS/04. (A:CMVG)

Hannah: A female human and a doctor working at the Feildcrest Home mental ward. One of the psychiatrists involved in the treatment of Billie. When her colleague Dr. Jerrin conferred with her about alternate countermeasures against Billies nightmares in 2192, it was Hannah who suggested brain surgery. (A:B1 – O)

HAT-P-13CM: A planet located 722 light years from Earth. Houses vast fields of natural gas deposits. Was terraformed from 2053 to 2061. In 2061, Zeus Colony was established on the planet and would boast a population of over 5,5 million by 2071. At an unknown date, massive solar energy arrays were installed, providing a prolific energy industry in combination with the gas deposits. (PR:WIW)

Hatchet-face: A nickname attributed to one of the two TIA agents interrogating the technician Pin- dar during the investigation of a cult of Xenomorph-worshippers in 2192. Was conceived by Pindar, probably because he was under the influence of interrogation drugs at the time. (A:B1 – O)

Havana: The capital of Cuba. Havana was the location of one of the first Xenomorph nests in the beginning of the Earth War in 2192, which was easily destroyed by Orona's forces. (A:B1 – O)

Hawaii: The fiftieth state of the United States of America, Earth, consisting of a group of islands in the Central Pacific Ocean. The largest island, the Island of Hawai'i or “Big Island”, was the site of the crash of partial construction ship wreckage that had got caught up in Earth's atmosphere. The accident and the subsequent radioactive contamination killed 100.000 people and destroyed the local Kona plantations, rendering the coffee a rare commodity. To prevent further crashes, the Coast Guard was assigned the task of monitoring and, if necessary, destroying ship wreckages in Earth's orbit. (A:B1 – O)

HD 85512 b: A planet in the Gliese 370 system. Situated 36 light years away from Earth. Notable as being the site of mankind's first off-world prison colony. Classified as a Class E Correctional Unit, the prison was the first joint venture project between Weyland Industries and the government and was opened on August 18, 2042. Proper terraforming followed from 2047 to 2055. In 2055, New Earth Colony was established on the planet, which would become one of the most densely populated off-world colonies, sporting a population of over 14,5 million by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

HD 10697 bm: A planet situated 151 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2053 to 2061. In 2061, Tagg Colony was established on the planet and would sport a population of over 5,5 million people by 2071. HD 10697 bm was also notable for its vast canyons that extended over 3000 kilometers and were up to 12 kilometers deep. (PR:WIW)

102 HD 39091 bm: A moon situated 59 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2044 to 2052. In 2052, Olympia Colony was founded on HD 39091 bm and was the first colonization of a moon after Luna. By 2071, the colony sported a population of almost 11 million. (PR:WIW)

HD 86264 bm: A planet located 467 light years from Earth. Terraformed between 2052 and 2060. In 2060, Statler Colony was established on HD 86264 bm and would sport a population of over 7,5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

HD 202206 bm: A planet situated 151 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2054 to 2062. In 2062, the Henri Gaston Colony was established on HD 202206 bm, which would become known as the leading manufacturer of information technology specialized in the fields of transportation and consumer devices and would sport a population of over 7 million by 2071. HD 20226 bm was also the site of the Weyland Cybernetics Logic Design and Research Facility, which played a key role in the development of Weyland Industries' David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Heliades-class space exploration vessel: Mankind's first space exploration vessel capable of Faster-Than-Light traveling. Was introduced by Weyland Industries on January 17, 2034. The Heli- ades was equipped with two FTL engines powered by a 2.1 Terawatt RLF reactor and had a payload capacity of up to 9 megatons. The interior housed a medical bay, laboratories and over a dozen chambers equipped with HES devices. HoloTab technology was used to circulate FTL navigational coordinates. (PR: WIW)

Hendricks: A female human and one of the staff members of Domes Epsilon involved in the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid-80s of the 24th century. Not very bright, Hendricks reacted even more fearfully to the impregnation of her colleague Pandor than the other colonists and later, together with Cody, witnessed Pandor giving birth to a Chestburster. Hendricks was among the trek of the survivors to the backup bay when the Xenomorphs attacked the convoy and scattered the passengers into the jungle. Hendricks was found by Shepherd, the station's security officer, who covered her escape from an approaching Alien. However, Hendricks was severely injured while trying to climb a tree and then quickly fell prey to the Xenomorphs. (A:OS)

Hennick, Jay: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident. Nick- named “Gristle” due to his favorite catchphrase “Hard As Gristle”. Hennicks was born in 2142. During his early life, he worked as a constable in a town in Southwest Texas. The town eventually dried up, and in search of a new job and a new home, Hennick joined the USCM corps in 2171. Despite his age, he graduated with remarkable grades. He continued his training at SOI West and became a well-respected rifleman. Hennick was then assigned to the 2nd battalion, 9th regiment and later served in Operation Arcturan Freedom where he earned the Bronze Star. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Hennick was ranked Sergeant. During the engagement against UPP forces on LV-426, Hennick was separated from his team, but later joined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Henri Gaston Colony: A colony on HD 202206 bm. Established in 2062, the colony would become known as the leading manufacturer of information technology in the fields of transportation and consumer devices. By 2071, the colony was home to a population of over 7 million. Henri Gas- ton Colony was also the site of Weyland Industries' New Products Testbed facility, which played a vital role in testing innovative technologies of the corporation's electronics division. (PR:WIW)

103 Henry: A male human and a medic serving aboard Gateway Station during the global Xenomorph infestation of Earth in the 2190s. Henry led Wilks and Billie to the debriefing after their arrival during the Spears incident in 2193. On their way, Henry and the others stopped at a communications console where they witnessed Spears' final minutes via video broadcast. (A:B2 - NA)

Hera City: A colony on KOI-463.01. Founded in 2065. Boasted a population of over 10,5 million by 2071. Hera City was known for its genetically enhanced agricultural farm with an output large enough to satisfy the food requirements of 22 % of the inner colonies. Besides agriculture, the colony's industry consisted of biotech and electronics. Key resources were holmium and cerium. (PR:WIW)

Hernandez: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers of team Rhino 2-1 that boarded the Su- laco over LV-426 during the beginning stages of the Origin incident. While investigating, the squad was attacked by Xenomorphs and barely managed to retreat to the airlock. Hernandez had suffered severe injuries during the battle, and his final whereabouts are unknown. (A:CMVG)

HES: Abbreviation for Holographic Environment Simulator. (PR:WIW)

Heston, Frank: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Bonesaw”. Heston was born in the mid-2150s. A weapons nut, Heston did not hesitate to join the USCM, where he absolved basic training and infantry training. Afterward, Heston opted for a career as a weapon instructor and served as a junior special weapons instructor at SOI East for two years, after which he choose to be deployed in a combat unit during the Arcturan War. It was during a combat situation in the Dehclor sector that he earned his illustrious reputation: When an APC was toppled by the explosion of a mine, Heston had no other choice to free a marine who was pinned beneath the APC but to amputate his leg with a short, point-blank Smart Gun burst. Heston was reprimanded for his action, but the rescued marine was grateful for Heston's “creative” application of a Smart Gun, which led to his nickname. By the time of the Sulaco incident, was ranked Corporal. During an engagement at the Phobos Re- search Station, Heston was separated from his team, but later joined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Heyward, Bjorn: A male human and an ex-marine working as part of a weapons team for Planetus in 2232 together with his wife Jolena. Had tremendous physical strength and was skilled with a wide range of weapons. Sported a calm personality and bore a deep affection for both his wife and his weapons. Was involved in the C-3 L/M incident. When a supposed Xenomorph infestation was detected at a Weyland-Yutani research station on C-3 L/M, a planet owned by both Planetus and the Company, Bjorn and his wife were tasked with providing assistance to the investigation. They met up at the research station with the two Planetus investigators, Anders Kramm and Frances Stauff, and a Weyland-Yutani representative called Charles Braley and proceeded into the facility. Kramm and Stauff soon discovered that the “infestation” was a ruse by Braley to take over Planetus, and both them and Bjorn and Jolena were targeted by Wey- land-Yutani for elimination. A small strike force tried to kill the two at their house on C-3 L/M without success, and Stauff showed up with a Planetus spacecraft soon after to pick them up and flee the planet. While Bjorn and most of the other survivors were in cryosleep, Braley, having succeeded in taking over Planetus, changed the course of the ship over remote control to land it on the Alien-infested world of Soulages. When Kramm discovered the course change and woke the rest of the survivors from hypersleep, Bjorn narrowly escaped death from a sabotaged cryotube. As the group

104 fought their way through the settlement on Soulages, Bjorn and his array of weapons proved to be a valuable asset. However, Jolena was killed by Aliens during the escape and Bjorn himself suffered severe injuries, rendering his legs badly damaged. Kramm and Stauff flew Bjorn over to the Wey- land-Yutani research station on the nearby moon, where they took over the facility and arranged medical care for Bjorn in order to replace his legs. His final fate is unknown. (A:NE)

Heyward, Jolena: A female human and an ex-marine working for the Planetus Corporation in 2232 as part of a weapons team together with his husband Bjorn. Was involved in the C-3 L/M incident. Jolena assisted the Planetus investigators Anders Kramm and Frances Stauff in investigating a supposed Alien outbreak at a Weyland-Yutani research station on the planet C-3 L/M. When it became apparent that the infestation was but an elaborate scheme by Weyland-Yutani to take over Planetus, all Planetus personnel involved in the investigation, including Jolena and Bjorn, were targeted for elimination by the Company. Luckily, Stauff and the Heywards had prepared a contingency plan for this case: After killing a small strike force sent to their house, Bjorn and Jolena escaped the planet with Stauff, Kramm and three technicians involved in the investigation aboard a Planetus spacecraft. However, Braley had already succeeded in taking over Planetus and remote-ordered the ship of the survivors to land on Soulages, a Weyland-Yutani-owned world infested by Xenomorphs. Jolena was killed by the creatures when the group was making their way to the landing pad of the settlement on Soulages. (A:NE)

Hibernus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in pale-green patterns on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Hicks, Dwayne: A male human and a Colonial Marine, bearing the rank of Corporal by the year 2179. USCM ID code was TQ4.0.48215E9. Had a quiet and calm character. Carried an antique shotgun in addition to his normal gear, just to be sure. Was a member of the recon mission to LV- 426 that would become involved in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179 and survived to play a key role during the Origin incident later in the same year.

1. Taking command

Hicks was one of the survivors of the ambush inside the Xenomorph hive on Sub-Level 3 of the At- mosphere Processor near Hadley's Hope. His pivotal role in the incident began when he stepped up from leader of the squad's B-Team to the position of commander after Apone's death inside the Hive. Hicks was impressed by Ripley's rescue attempt and now following her assessment of the situation and the Xenomorph threat, decided to retreat to the Sulaco and bombard the colony from orbit. When the evacuation was foiled, Hicks ordered a retreat to the colony's command center. After checking the remaining equipment, he decided to fortify their position with the help of sentry guns and to barricade themselves inside the command center until Bishop would be able to land the second dropship. During this time, Hicks developed an affectionate relationship with Ripley and, together with other Marines, later rescued her and Newt from Burke's attempt to impregnate them with Xenomorph embryos. During the escape following the breach of the command center's defense, Hicks was seriously injured by Xenomorph blood and had to stay aboard the dropship when Ripley went back into the hive to rescue Newt. Aboard the Sulaco, the Corporal was immediately put into medical care and entered cryosleep when the crisis was averted and the ship set course for home. Hicks later seemingly perished when the EEV, following the Sulaco's automated evacuation, crashed into Fiorina 161's ocean. When the information reached the Network, Hicks was designated as killed in action.

105 2. Rude awakening

However, by the time the Sulaco reached Fury 16, Hicks was not in his cryotube anymore. Prior to arriving at the penal colony, Weyland-Yutani had found the Sulaco and diverted its science vessel Legato to investigate. The Legato had just extracted Xenomorph embryos from LV-426 in the wake of the Hadley's Hope incident and had already started breeding experiments using abducted colonists when it arrived at the Sulaco's location. The crew managed to establish an Umbilical between the two vessels, but soon after, a Xenomorph outbreak threw the Legato into utter chaos and also spilled over to the Sulaco. Two colonists named Stone and Turk eventually made their way to the Sulaco and awoke Hicks from cryosleep, hoping for assistance. As he woke up, he noticed a Facehugger attached to Ripley's head, but his distress was interrupted by attacking Weyland-Yutani PMCs. During the fight, two critical things happened: First, during a struggle with a PMC, Turk got trapped inside Hicks' cryotube. Second, a ricochet hit Ripley's Facehugger. Its acid caused an electrical fire that prompted the computer to initiate an emergency evacuation. Stone and Hicks had to watch helplessly as their friends were ejected aboard the EEVs to drift toward Fiorina 161. Despite these dramatic events, Hicks and Stone were determined to get the word out about the Company's actions. Hicks led Stone to a service point where they geared up and consulted a terminal to develop a plan: While Stone went to ready a Service Skiff as a means of escape, Hicks would try to use the Sulaco's long-range communications to send out a distress call. However, Hicks soon discovered that using the ship's uplink was out of the question and came up with a backup plan: Hicks drew a copy of his after-action report and informed Stone that they would use the skiff to travel to Fiorina 161 and use the comm systems there to send the message. Shortly after, a colonist named Lisbeth Hutchins informed Stone that she would blow up the Legato. Hicks and Stone met up at the starboard weapons deck and, together, they destroyed the Umbilical only seconds before the Legato exploded. After that, the two made their way to the skiff in Engineering, readied the ship and left the Sulaco en route to Fiorina 161. After a two-day journey, Hicks and Stone landed at the resident penal colony. The two arrived at the blast furnace, only to witness Bishop II unsuccessfully appealing to Ripley to let them take possession of the Queen Embryo inside her. Hicks watched in shock as Ripley instead jumped into the molten metal, taking the Queen with her. Seconds later, Weyland's PMCs captured Hicks and Stone and transferred them to Michael Weyland's personal Research Frigate, which traveled to the Origin facility on LV-426. Hicks' interrogation started after Weyland had Stone executed when it had become apparent that the colonist had no useful information. Weyland himself conducted the questioning, with the assistance of a scientist named Richard Levy. Despite the use of chemical incen- tives, Hicks managed to resist revealing critical information, instead giving only information that Weyland would sooner or later find out anyway.

3. Getting the message out

As the interrogation methods grew more extreme and Weyland's ruthlessness became apparent, Levy's conscience caused him to free Hicks and flee the scene together with him. The two subsequently fought their way to the EEVs, entered one of them and ejected themselves from the Frigate. While the EEV, not made to be used inside an atmosphere, was merely catapulted a few dozen meters before crash-landing onto LV-426's surface, Hicks and Levy had escaped the frigate. Planning to use the relay station of the Origin facility, which was still in development, they traversed the perimeter of the facility, battling PMCs and Xenomorphs along the way. Forced by overwhelming firepower to retreat to a nearby tunnel, Hicks and Levy made their way through an extensive system of caves where they stumbled upon a new hive that Xenomorphs which had survived the explosion of the colony's Atmosphere Processor had created. Barely escaping the enraged Queen, the two in-

106 filtrated the inner compound through a tunnel intended to capture the Queen and entered the containment module at the end of the tunnel. After traversing the module and the labs surrounding it, Hicks and Levy finally arrived at the comm relay. While being constantly under attack by hordes of Xenomorphs, the two managed to set up the relay and initiate sending. However, Weyland launched a missile barrage at the building, destroying the radar dish before the transfer of the message could be completed. By then, a large force of PMCs had surrounded the relay station, and Hicks and Levy were returned into Weyland's custody. For the following weeks, Hicks was subjected to interrogation and torture by Michael Weyland, who hoped to gain valuable information about the Hadley's Hope incident, the Derelict and its cargo. During this time, Hicks realized that Weyland was actually an advanced android model. Hicks stayed alert, closely observing his surroundings and remembering every piece of information.

4. The Origin incident

During the later stages of the Origin incident on December 14, 2179, the survivors of the USS Sephora learned about Hicks' survival and captivity from a personnel manifest retrieved from Wey- land-Yutani's systems. Hicks was eventually freed by Corporal Winter and Private O'Neal. He revealed his knowledge about the FTL launch schedule, providing one last ticket off LV-426 for the Sephora marines. When Xenomorphs converged on Hadley's Hope, Hicks was ordered to escape to safety aboard an APC together with Lieutenant Reid, a combat pilot. Instead, he ignored the order and helped Reid to prep another dropship. Intent on bringing down Weyland-Yutani, Hicks would go on to participate during the final assault on the Company's research facility. After assisting in disabling anti-air emplacements to provide clear skies to take down the cargo lifter evacuating the Queen, Hicks was part of the futile mad dash to the FTL, which launched just seconds before the marines arrived at the landing site. Boarding a dropship together with his comrades, Hicks crash- landed into the frigate's cargo bay while still inside the atmosphere. After surviving a final battle with the Xenomorph Queen, Hicks and the others confronted Michael Weyland in his private cabin. While the rest of the group deemed Weyland necessary to survive in order to incriminate the corporation, Hicks knew of the impostor's true identity and shot the android, being aware of the fact that they would never be safe as long as Weyland was functioning. After extracting critical information from Weyland's data banks, Hicks and his new comrades evacuated the remaining Sephora marines on LV-426 and set course for home. (A2, A3, A:CMVG, A:CMVG_SI)

Hidden Underground: A black market rumoured to have been active during the Xenomorph infestation on Earth during the 2190s. Told to be a safe haven from the Xenomorph scourge, the Hidden Underground was reportedly trafficking in military-grade supplies and prostitution. The rumors were enough for many survivors to follow up on every tale of great treasures left behind during the evacuation. However, Bug Feeders were known to deliberately set up traps at those supposed treasure sites. While on Third Base, Billie watched a broadcast of Amy and her uncle Burt observing two men, nicknamed Leather and Nylon, falling for such a bait. (A:B2 - NA)

Hill: A male human working as a doctor at the Feildcrest Home mental ward. Was among the personnel responsible for the medical treatment of Billie shortly before the start of the Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Hillard, Sabra: A female human and one of the smugglers involved in the Auriga incident. Was the Betty's pilot and the romantic partner of the captain, Elgyn. Suffering heavily from the Elgyn's death early during the escape from the Xenomorph outbreak aboard the Auriga, she was later killed by a Xenomorph while the group was passing through the flooded kitchen of the ship. (A:RES)

107 Hohenkerk: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Hohenkerk managed to escape the destruction in orbit and regroup at Hadley's Hope, but was killed by a Xenomorph during the defense of the colony prior to the final assault on Weyland-Yu- tani. (A:CMVG)

Holloway, Charlie: A male human and a scientist. Hotheaded, but renowned world-wide for his skills in archeological research. 5.6 feet tall. Romantic partner of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw with whom he led the ill-fated mission of the Prometheus to LV-223 in 2093.

1. Early life

Holloway was born in 2058. During his career, he has also participated on tours to Luna and Mars. At an unknown date, Holloway met the archaeologist and paleontologist Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. Hol- loway, being an atheist, was trying to scientifically prove that deities had no hand in the creation of life and found a like-minded research partner in Shaw, who ironically had a strong religious belief. During their time working together, Holloway and Shaw also developed a romantic relationship.

2. Partnership with Weyland Industries

In 2078, Holloway and Shaw were working in Toro Muerto, Peru, when they were contacted by a representative of Weyland Industries with the offer of putting company funds and resources at their disposal. The two scientists would embark on a global search for ancient artifacts, soon discovering depictions of giant beings visiting mankind and a pictogram common to all findings pointing to a distant star system. In late 2079, Weyland Industries agreed to fund an interstellar expedition to the target system. Holloway and Shaw would continue their research of the artifacts, ending with an excavation on the Isle of Skye, Scotland in 2089. In 2091, the two scientists departed Earth on the research vessel Prometheus, leading a crew of 17 scientists, mercenaries and workers.

3. The LV-223 incident

On December 21, 2093, the Prometheus reached its destination. After the crew had awakened from hypersleep, Holloway conducted a short scientific briefing of the mission together with Shaw. Dur- ing the landing, Holloway spotted an artificial structure that he deemed worthy of exploration and also insisted on assembling a team for the exploration of the structure immediately after the ship had touched down. While the exploration of the pyramid-like silo yielded spectacular findings, Hol- loway was sobered by the fact that the place was seemingly deserted. Back at the ship, Holloway tried to drown his frustration in alcohol. The android David, with whom Holloway was at odds since the beginning of the mission, took the opportunity to infect Holloway with a drink tainted with the Black Goo he had retrieved from the pyramid. Holloway later infected Shaw in turn during sexual intercourse. Next morning, Holloway first noticed disturbing signs of sickness. He then joined the search party for Fifield and Millburn, but soon could no longer hide the fact that his body was ravaged by the Black Goo. The rest of the team made a desperate break for the ship in order to save Holloway's life, only to be met by Vickers at the cargo hold, who, fearing contamination, refused to let Holloway inside. By this time, the disintegrating effects of the Black Goo had rapidly advanced, causing Holloway unbearable pain. In order to end his suffering, Holloway chose death and approached Vickers, who incinerated him with a flamethrower. (PR)

108 Holographic Environment Simulator: A device that projects holographic replications of objects and environments. The technology can also be used to enhance communication devices. Weyland Industries released the first HES device into the luxury goods market on September 6, 2024. Several HES devices were installed and used on the research vessel Prometheus during its mission to LV- 223 in 2093, including a HoloTab. (PR:WIW)

HoloTab: A holographic projector manufactured by Weyland Industries that consists of a flat surface above which the projection is displayed. The device can be placed on any surface and consists of a transparent polymer composite with a graphene core and is break-resistant up to 3000 megapas- cals. The HoloTab is capable of receiving, processing and sending data streams at FTT speeds of around 37 GigaHertz at a planetary range. HoloTabs are used for a variety of tasks that range from military planning and coordination to circulation of FTL coordinates. The device is also equipped with Spectrawave technology, allowing scientists to scan a projection for valuable data and collect the findings. HoloTabs can also be programmed for personal use, such as remote-programming household systems and accessing and dis- playing the global knowledge base. The bridge of the Prometheus was equipped with a HoloTab during its ill-fated mission to LV-223, where it displayed the mapping information of the Engineer pyramid sent by Fifield's Spectagraphs. (PR:WIW)

Honshu Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-255.01. Established in 2063, the colony would sport a population of over 6.5 million by 2071. Notable for housing the outermost off-world Weyland Academy facility. Aside from education, Honshu Colony's industry focused on mining. Key resources were nickel, iron, copper and manganese. (PR:WIW)

Hora, Thomas: A male human. Had only worked for a short time for a Weyland-Yutani planet farm before he was reassigned to a research station of the Company on C-3 L/M. Hora was unaware that he was only a pawn used by Weyland-Yutani to root out a Planetus spy at the station. In 2232, Hora was killed together with the rest of the replacement staff and the spies as part of a faked Alien infestation instigated as part of a scheme to take over Planetus. These events would become known as the C-3 L/M incident. (A:NE)

Horizon City: A colony on KOI-438.02. Established in 2041 and boasting a population of almost 3 million by 2071. Horizon City became known as the major manufacturer of mining equipment and infrastructure. Besides manufacturing, the colony's industry was focused on mining and refining. Key resources were platinum, palladium, manganese and zinc. (PR:WIW)

Hormone Storm: A term used to describe the process of a Xenomorph Drone turning into a Queen when the necessity arises. (A:B2 - NA)

Hovercar: A civilian hover vehicle. By the first half of the 22nd century, hovercars were the preferred choice of private transportation for the general populace. (A:B1 – O)

Hovertread: A small tank used by the USCM Corps. Piloted by one person in an open canopy and equipped with Titanium 2 armor. Armed with two light 15-round machine guns, one long-range XR-500 cannon, and two lasers. (KAF)

Hualien Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-227.01. Established in 2051, Hualien Colony would sport a population of 2.3 million by 2071. Taking advantage of the planet's vast natural deposits of

109 metals and minerals, its industry focused on mining and refining. Key resources were copper, tungsten, gold, aluminum, titanium and silver. (PR:WIW)

Huan Ying Colony: A mining colony on the planet KOI-952.03. Established in 2066 and home to 440,000 colonists by 2071. Key resources were osmium, rhenium and gypsum. (PR:WIW)

Huang Zho: A human deep space research station near the planet KOI-2553.01. (PR:WIW)

Hudson, William: A male human serving the USCM corps as a communication tech. Having entered service around 2169 for a limited tour of ten years, Hudson bore the rank of Private First Class in 2179, when his platoon was tasked with the recon mission that would result in the Hadley's Hope incident. After the platoon had landed on LV-426, Hudson used his skills at short-wiring and hacking to provide access to the colony. Subsequently, he used the colony's mainframe to locate the colonists inside the Atmosphere Processor by tracking their PDT signals. However, events took a turn for the worse when Hudson and the other Marines were ambushed inside the hive on the processor's sub- levels. While Hudson had set out on the mission with an overconfident state of mind, this traumatic event took a severe toll on Hudson's psyche, now bordering a state of hysteria. Under Ripley's and Hicks's guidance, Hudson recovered and later helped rescuing Ripley and Newt from a pair of Face- huggers. Hudson was abducted by Xenomorphs during their attack on the command center and cocooned in the tunnels below the colony where he got impregnated and later died giving birth to a Chestburster. (A2)

Hui Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-2311.01. Founded in 2069, Hui Outpost would sport a population of 500,000 by 2071. The colony was a key manufacturer of starship hulls. Aside from transportation, Hui Outpost's industrial setup focused on mining. Key resources were hydrogen, titanium, cobalt and hematite. (PR:WIW)

Human: A species of sentient bipedal mammals. Scientific name Homo sapiens. First appearing 200,000 BC on its homeworld Earth, humanity quickly rose to become the dominant species and only civilization on the planet. By the late 22nd century, mankind had mastered interstellar travel and founded colonies and outposts on over 300 worlds. Due to medical advances, a human living at this time had a life expectancy of 110 to 120 years. Another technological milestone was the creation of androids indistinguishable from men. However, mankind's history up to that point had also been marked by conflict and suffering. In turn, the importance of religion had markedly decreased since the 2170s. This status-quo was shattered when Earth War broke out in 2192, resulting in a global Xenomorph infestation that ultimately forced humanity to abandon Earth to the creatures.

Hume: An Ought-Two class freighter that landed on the Alien-infested world of Soulages in 2223. After the crew had abandoned the ship, most of the ship's internal systems, including the black box, were scavenged in the following years. The wreckage of the Hume was discovered on Soulages by the survivors of the C-3 L/M incident in 2232. (A:NE)

Hutchins, Lisbeth: A female human involved in the Legato incident in 2179. Hutchins was originally a colonist who had departed with her parents and a number of other people for their new home. During cryosleep, however, Weyland-Yutani PMCs hijacked the colony ship and transferred the cryotubes to the Wey-Yu research vessel Legato. As the Legato had successfully retrieved Xenomorph eggs from the Derelict on LV-426 during the wake of the Hadley's Hope incident, the colonists were used as hosts for experiment with the Xenomorphs. Around the same time as the

110 Legato arrived at the Sulaco, a Xenomorph outbreak occurred aboard the research vessel. During this timespan, Hutchins got impregnated by a Facehugger – whether as part of the experiments or during the outbreak is unknown.

1. Awakening

As the Xenomorphs wreaked havoc aboard the Legato, Hutchins awoke in a storage hold, with the Facehugger still latched onto her face. After ripping the creature from her face and coming to her senses, she was found by a fellow colonist named Ethan, who barely managed to inform her of the current situation before a Chestburster erupted from his chest. Alone again, Hutchins began searching for her parents, sneaking through the mayhem around her. She eventually met another colonist named Andrews, who was searching for his daughter. Using a terminal in a medbay, Andrews helped Hutchins locate her parents in bay 3, level 4. Soon after, the two colonists had to hide inside lockers from an arriving Xenomorph. While the embryo gestating inside Hutchins saved her from the creature, she had to watch helplessly as it discovered Andrews and slaughtered him.

2. Temporary allies and revenge

Unexpected help arrived with a Wey-Yu PMC who shot the Xenomorph. Just when the PMC was about to discover Hutchins, he was knocked unconscious by a colonist named Stone, who was accompanied by another settler called Turk. Hutchins was still determined to rescue her parents while Stone and Turk wanted to escape to the Sulaco, but in spite of their goals, the three decided to stick together for a short time. After arriving at the Umbilical, Hutchins left Stone and Turk to continue on her own. Eventually, she arrived at level, bay 4, only to find her parents dead, killed by Wey-Yu PMCs when they had discovered that one of them had been being impregnated by a Facehugger. Struck with grief and fury, Hutchins decided to activate the ship's self-destruct in order to kill the Xenomorphs and Weyland-Yutani mercenaries. After informing Stone of her intention, Hutchins cut communications and fought her way to Engineering where she managed to initiate the ship's self- destruct sequence. Only moments after her work was finished, Hutchins gave birth to a Chest- burster. It was then when the power core overloaded, obliterating the Legato. (A:CMVG_SI)

HWDS-C: Abbreviation for “Human Waste Disposal System – Chemical”. Describes a chemical toilet system often used in military installations such as Third Base.

Hyperdyne Systems: A manufacturer of synthetics and medical equipment active during the 22nd century. Produced numerous models of synthetics, such as the Hyperdyne 120-A/2, to which the Ash android involved in the Nostromo incident in 2122 belonged, and the Hyperdyne 129-4, a pleasure slave model. (A2, A:B1 – O)

Hyperdyne 120-A/2: An android developed by Hyperdyne Systems. Active during the first half of the 22nd century. While the model was indistinguishable from a human in appearance and conduct, the model was prone to malfunctions resulting in erratic and violent behavior. Ash, the synthetic involved in the Nostromo incident in 2122 was a 120-A/2. (A1, A2)

Hyperdyne 129-4: A “pleasure slave”-type android released by Hyperdyne Systems in the early 2190s. Comes in all genders. A Bionational representative named Green planned to buy such a model when the teasing of a Xenomorph-based weapon system promised great financial gain. (A:B1 – O)

111 Hypersleep Chamber: A Cryosleep tube installed on a spaceship and designed to enable the crew to enter cryosleep in order to avoid the adverse effects during FTL travel. Weyland Industries claimed the patent for the Cryosleep Tube under the file number 12,004,556 on July 27, 2030. Spec- ifications of models manufactured by the corporation during the 2070s included a tertiary backup system of zero-loss lithium ion batteries theoretically capable of sustaining the life of the chamber's occupant for up to 100 years. The Weyland Industries model featured an external holographic display linked to the ship mainframe. Furthermore, the duration of hypersleep could be programmed according to a variety of parameters, such as mission length and the percentage of FTL travel completed. (PR, PR:WIW, A1, A2, A3, A:RES)

*** I ***

IM 80: An experimental rock processor technology developed by Weyland Industries during the 2070s. Full name Igneous/Metamorphic 80. Operated by 4 individuals. Transforms barren rock into fertile soil by using high-powered mechanical disturbance and introducing proprietary enzymes. The IM 80 was intended to be used on inhospitable colony worlds in order to make agriculture and bio-replication possible. The device underwent field testing outside Luther City on KOI-854.01. (PR:WIW)

Immigration: The docking bay section of Byzantium Station. The control center of Immigration was protected by a three-digit code that changed randomly twice a day, and heavy barriers could seal off the section in case of a disturbance. Immigration was placed under lockdown during the raid of the Betty's crew during the mid-80s of the 24th century, but thanks to Call's ability to hack the control center's security code and Ripley 8's help in overwhelming the guards, the group managed to reached the Betty docked in Immigration. (A:OS)

IMP: Abbreviation for Individual Marine Pack. Describes a lightweight medium cargo container that is able to carry a load of up to 24 kilograms and can be clipped onto M3 Personal Armors with its carbon fibre A-frame. Is water-repellent, with waterproof liners available for the several IMP compartements. (A:CMTM)

Inquinans: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in pink highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Intel One: A restricted area in MILCOM HQ on Earth. Access was secured by a retina scanner. In 2192, Wilks had a meeting in Intel One with Dr. Waidslaw Orona and Colonel Stephens to discuss his participation in the Benedict mission. (A:B1 – O)

Internet Explorer: The name of both a leading online access software and the team developing it. Aside from software development, Internet Explorer became notable for being one of the leaders and sponsors behind the Wi-Fi Access Movement of 2029. On May 14, 2075, a partnership between the company and Weyland Industries was announced, and the Internet Explorer software was subsequently used to optimize the Project Prometheus Training Center. (PR:WIW)

Internevicus raptus: An alternate, more recent scientific name for the Xenomorph species. Trans- lates to “murderous thief”. However, due to scientific process, the moniker “linguafoeda Acheron- sis” takes precedence as it came first.

112 Izvinite Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-2770.01. Established in 2069, it would boast a population of 780,000. Izvinite Colony's industry focused on mining and refining the planet's massive palladium deposits. Further key resources were oxygen and hydrogen. (PR:WIW)

*** J ***

Jackson: A male human and the security officer of the Prometheus mission in 2093. Jackson was killed during the fatal meeting with the last surviving Engineer inside the Juggernaut ship during the LV-223 incident. (PR)

Jackson: A large military transport vessel stationed at Third Base during the time of the Spears incident in 2193. Presumably named after historical figure Andrew Jackson. Sister ship to the MacArthur. Equipped with a Gravity Drive and cryosleep chambers for long-range flights. The inner layout of the ship was divided in compartments, which could be sealed off in cases of emergency. The Jackson was also equipped with weaponry, escape pods and extensive sensor systems, including proximity mass detectors, radar, doppler and luxflect systems. During the Spears incident, General Thomas Spears, after having put down the mutiny at Third Base, decided that the time was right to liberate Earth with his Xenomorph army. The Jackson was designated as his command vessel while the MacArthur would carry his army and follow him on remote. After loading was complete and Spears had entered the Jackson, it and the MacArthur departed for deep space. Spears entered cryosleep, and the ship entered Einsteinian Warp. After the ship had reached the Sol system and returned to normal space, Spears awoke from cryosleep and relocated to the command deck. With mild surprise, he detected that two stowaways were aboard the MacArthur. Deciding to deal with them on Earth, he began his preparations. However, the problem became more urgent when the two individuals jumped ships using EVA suits. Spears intercepted them shortly after they had entered the Jackson at the aft cargo bay. A firefight ensued, from which Spears was eventually forced to withdraw. Spears resolved the situation by sealing off the cargo bay and cutting off life support to the section. However, Wilks bluffed himself and Billie access to an escape pod, and Spears was forced to temporarily leave the Jackson to check up on explosives on the MacArthur, which turned out to be non-existent. Spears eventually returned to the Jackson and landed both vessels in the Natal province in South Africa. As Spears' campaign ended before it started, The Jackson and the MacArthur were left abandoned at the landing site. Their final fate is unknown. (A:B2 – NA)

Jacob-Tellis: The proper name of the planet POL-6362. (PR:WIW)

Jakarta: The capital of the Republic of Indonesia. In late 2192, Jakarta fell victim to the Xenomorph infestation and was eventually so thoroughly consumed by the creatures that Orona ordered the nuclear destruction of the city. (A:B1 – O)

Jamaican Lonsdales: A brand of cigars. General Thomas Spears of the USCM possessed eight Ja- maican Lonsdales, which were a gift from a wealthy person he once had rescued. Spears savored the cigars for specials occasions, such as taking command of Third Base. During the Spears incident in 2193, Spears smoked several of the Lonsdales before his untimely demise. (A:B2 - NA)

Janek: A male human and the captain of the USCSS Prometheus during the LV-223 incident in 2093. A skilled pilot familiar with almost every type of space exploration vessel of the late 21st century. Owned an accordion from the possessions of Stephen Stills.

113 1. Early life

Janek was born in 2053 and began his career as a pilot in military service. During his service, Janek was stationed near a weapons laboratory and was one of the pilots flying the evacuation after a fatal accident took place at the facility. When his ship reached minimum safety distance, Janek had to witness as his commanding officer remote detonated the laboratory, killing 1100 men and women in the process. Later, he left the military and eventually entered commercial service for Weyland In- dustries in 2077.

2. The LV-223 incident

In 2091, Janek was assigned as the captain of the research vessel Prometheus for its expedition to Zeta 2 Reticuli, a mission during which he would be assisted by the co-pilots Chance and Ravel. Once the ship arrived at its destination, Janek, Ravel and Chance safely landed the vessel near a pyramid-like structure on LV-223. Together with Meredith Vickers, Janek acted as an operator for the team of scientists during their first foray into the pyramid. When a vast storm approached the site, Janek ordered the team back to the ship. During the following night, Janek stayed at the bridge to keep an eye on the sensors and to confer with Fifield and Millburn, two scientists who had gotten lost and therefore were forced to wait out the storm inside the pyramid. However, Janek was not present – possibly due to casual sexual intercourse with Vickers – when Millburn stumbled across two Hammerpedes, and was therefore oblivious to the grim fate of the scientists. Next morning, Fi- field and Millburn were still missing, and after Janek's attempts to contact them were to no avail, he decided to lead a search party to the pyramid, taking Chance with him. They had just discovered Millburn's corpse of the missing scientist when Dr. Holloway’s health rapidly deteriorated, forcing the team to return to the Prometheus. When Vickers refused to let Holloway on board, Janek made a futile attempt to convince her to let him live. Hours later, Janek detected Fifield in front of the ship's cargo hold. When the mutant wreaked havoc inside the bay, Janek killed the creature together with Chance and several other crew members. These events deeply troubled Janek and led him to believe that the pyramid was actually a secret weapon facility of the Engineers. Haunted by the tragedy at the weapon laboratory, Janek warned Dr. Shaw as she was about to depart to see the last living En- gineer with Peter Weyland's team. Uninterested in any further scientific exploration, he swore to protect Earth from the Black Goo chemical weapon, no matter the cost. After the failed first contact with the Engineer, Janek made good on his promise, sacrificing himself together with Chance and Ravel by crashing the Prometheus into the departing Juggernaut. (PR)

January Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-2020.01. Established in 2067, it would sport a population of 1.2 million by 2071. January Outpost's industry consisted of sectors for mining and health. Key resources were water, helium-3 and hydrogen. (PR:WIW)

Jasper: A male human and a Colonial Marine. Was part of the recon mission to Rim in the late 2170s. There, Jasper was killed together with almost the entire squad fighting the Xenomorph infestation. (A:B1 – O)

Jelley, M.: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. During the later stages of the incident, Jelley became trapped in the Weyland-Yutani research module where the Queen was rampaging. Jelley managed to survive one whole minute. (A:CMVG)

114 Jenna: A female human and one of an untold number of survivors left behind on Earth during the global Xenomorph infestation. In 2193, Jenna was abducted by a Drone. A group of fellow survivors caught up with them and managed to deliver a mercy-killing by shooting Jenna in the head. (A:B2 - NA)

Jerrin: A male human and a doctor working at the Feildcrest Home medical ward. Was in charge of the treatment and therapy of Billie. When a visit by Wilks in 2192 revealed to Billie that her nightmares were real, Jerrin decided that his treatment methods had failed and looked into other options. Conferring with his colleagues, Jerrin listened to a suggestion made by Dr. Hannah and decided to begin preparations for the surgical removal of certain brain parts in order to stop the nightmares. Jerrin, Hannah and the other doctors informed a shocked Billie of their plans, but before the surgery could be performed, Billie was rescued from Feildcrest Home by Wilks. (A:B1 – O)

Jet Rescue: A technology developed for high-altitude evacuations prompted by difficulties in extracting civilians during the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2124. Consists of a small aircraft equipped with a safety net used for rescuing people from tall buildings or similar structures. Some Jet Rescue crafts are capable of reaching maximum speeds of at least Mach 2. Can be controlled from a cockpit or via remote. (A:B1 – O)

JIMO: Abbreviation for Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, a NASA proposition for a probe which would explore the moons of Jupiter. The craft was to be powered by propulsion technology from Project Prometheus. JIMO was canceled in 2005 before production could start. However, Weyland Indus- tries revived the project and completed it with the discovery of simple life forms in Europa's oceans on December 19, 2017. (PR:WIW)

Joel: A male human and a high-ranking employee of Bionational. Joel was addressed in the Biona- tional Internal Memorandum 385769.1, which concerned the commencing of Operation Outreach. It is possible that Joel was the first name of Bionational vice president Red or Green. (A:B1 – O)

Johner: A male human and one of the smugglers involved in the Auriga incident in 2381. Had a violent temper and was fond of liquor. Carried a thermos flask with him that supposedly contained a home-brew liquor, but was actually concealing a gun. Johner was among the few survivors of the incident. Johner stayed with the group, accepting Ripley 8 as the new captain and assisting her in her efforts to discover the master plan of the Loki organization. During the following years, Johner helped in raiding numerous trading outposts for data on Loki, usually using his unique talents as a troublemaker to create diversions in order to enable Ripley and Call to sneak into the mainframe. After this, Johner was also part of the Betty's first mission against Loki and the Xenomorphs on the space station Domes Epsilon, assisting Ripley 8 with checking out the backup bay of the station as a means of escape. Johner survived the evacuation of Domes Epsilon and offered Call his help in freeing the other androids under Loki's control. (A:RES)

Johnston, Samantha: A female human and one of the marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Homewrecker”. Notorious for her no-nonsense attitude. Johnston was born around 2149. Little is known about her past, although some believe that a severe trauma was the cause for her uncompromising personality. During her USCM service, she single- handedly freed a small terraforming colony from UPP radicals, an accomplishment which earned Johnston her nickname. At the time of the Sulaco incident, Johnston had risen to the rank of Lance Corporal. She was part of the original Fire Team Fox, which was given the task of tracking down a life signal aboard the

115 ship reported by an advance team. Johnston would later continue to play a vital role during the incident. (A:INF)

Jones (Benedict crew member): A female-type android and part of the Benedict during its mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in the 2190s. Jones was part of a military project to create androids that felt and behaved like a real person in order to facilitate their integration into military service with humans. In 2191, Jones entered military training with her seven “siblings”, forming First Squad, Fox Platoon, Company Able, 1st Extee Di- vision, Second Colonial Marines. In 2192, Jones and her squad left Earth as part of the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld. During the arrival at the homeworld, Jones had pilot duty. As she detected the Bionational intercept aboard the K-014, Colonel Stephens shot her and took helm to give the raiding party access to the Benedict. (A:B1 – O)

Jones (cat): A ginger tom cat and the pet of the cargo hauler crew involved in the Nostromo incident in 2122. Nicknamed “Jonesy”. Aside from Ripley, Jones was the only survivor of the incident. When Jones got scared away during the crew's attempt to locate the Xenomorph aboard the Nos- tromo with a makeshift motion tracker, Brett chased the cat through the bowels of the vessel in order to catch it to avoid further misreadings by the motion tracker. Jones inadvertently lured Brett into the clutches of the now fully-developed Xenomorph in the landing strut chamber, but while Brett was killed by the creature, Jones managed to escape the encounter unharmed. Ripley later managed to pick up Jones and escape the Nostromo just before it self-destructed. The cat entered hypersleep and spent the following 57 years in hibernation, drifting through the core system aboard the Narcissus. The shuttle was eventually retrieved by a deep space salvage crew, and Ripley and Jones were brought to Gateway Station orbiting Earth. When Ripley decided to join the recon mission about to depart for LV-426, Jones stayed behind on Gateway Station. It is unknown what happened to Jones after that, but considering the average life expectancy for cats is about 14 years, Jones probably died some time before the Xenomorph infestation on Earth in 2192. (A1, A2)

Jorden, Ann: A female human living in Hadley's Hope in 2179 together with her family. Wife of Russ Jorden and mother of Rebecca and Timothy Jorden. Born in 2146. Ann Jorden was part of the expedition to the Derelict together with the rest of the Jorden family, the expedition that caused the Hadley's Hope incident. She investigated the ship with her husband and had to witness helplessly as Russ was impregnated by a Facehugger. She subsequently dragged the body of her husband back to the tractor and set off a distress call to the colony. The family eventually returned to Hadley's Hope, where Russ was placed under medical care. One day later, Ann was informed that the Facehugger had detached from her husband's face and that he had awoken afterward. This news should have come as a relief, but Ann had a bad feeling about the situation from the beginning. When she was summoned to Russ by his doctor, Ann sent an audio message to her mother requesting money to transport her husband off-world. But the visit to medbay afterward would change everything: As Ann, Russ and his doctor, a man named Kent, discussed about releasing him from medbay, Russ started convulsing and died giving birth to a Chestburster in front of Ann's eyes. While the colonists erected a shelter in the sub-level of the colony as a protection against the Xenomorphs, Ann, grieving and horrified herself, was left to care for her children. When preparations were complete, Ann joined the group of surviving colonists on its way to the shelter. After being informed that the USCM corps would send the marines to help, Ann met a fellow colonist named William Andrews who told her that an armed group had found the Xenomorph hive. The group stopped at a terminal to monitor the group's progress, only to observe the colonists being ripped apart by the creatures. Now with the enraged Xenomorph horde on its way to Hadley's Hope,

116 Ann and her children quickly ran to the shelter. For a short time, the colonists seemed safe, but due to a trap laid by the creatures, the barricade became compromised, and the Aliens started to massacre the colonists. When Rebecca pointed out the air ducts as a means of escape, Ann, knowing that there would not be time for all three of them to get away, carried her and Timothy to the grating and urged them to get inside. Shortly after, Ann was killed by one of the Xenomorphs. (A2, A:NT, A:CMVG)

Jorden, Rebecca: A female human child and the only survivor of the initial Xenomorph attack and infestation of the terraforming colony Hadley's Hope on LV-426 preceding the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. Born in 2173. Daughter of Russ and Ann Jorden and sister of Timothy Jorden. Nick- named 'Newt'.

1. Life before the outbreak and nightmare

During her life at the colony, Rebecca Jorden made friends with a number of kids and soon became involved in a favorite game of theirs: Monster Maze. The game was strictly forbidden by the colony's parents as it involved roaming the ventilation ducts, a restriction which the children, of course, cared little about. As Rebecca was a comparatively small child, she soon outmatched all the other children. The knowledge of the colony's layout she gained during that game would later ensure her survival during the outbreak. At an unknown point in time, Rebecca Jorden also received a Second Grade Citizenship Award from the colony administration. When Carter Burke relayed the location of the Space Jockey Derelict following the interrogation of Ripley aboard Gateway Station, the Jordens were the family that signed up for investigating the coordinates. Russ Jorden took his family, including Rebecca, and went out to the Derelict in his Dai- hotai tractor. When the parents set out to investigate the ship, Rebecca and Timothy were ordered to stay behind inside the tractor. To the horror of the children, Ann returned with Russ having a Face- hugger attached to his face. Rebecca's mother immediately sent out a distress call to the colony, and the Jorden family returned to Hadley's Hope where Russ was placed under medical observation. One day later, Rebecca and Timothy were notified by a boy named Aaron that their father had woken up. From inside an air duct, the three children spied on Russ and their mother Ann having a discussion with a doctor about his release from medical care. In mid-discussion, Russ died a gruesome death by giving birth to a Chestburster, a scene secretly witnessed by his children. Shocked and grieving, Newt later accompanied her mother and her brother to a shelter in the colony's sub-level. As the Xenomorphs gained entry into the shelter, Rebecca pointed out the air ducts as a means of escape. Ann carried both children to the nearest duct, urging Rebecca and Timothy to leave. Timo- thy refused and wanted to stay to protect his mother, but was quickly overwhelmed and killed by the creatures. Ann was killed shortly afterward, leaving only Rebecca to survive and reach the safety of the ventilation ducts. Despite having lost her entire family, Rebecca managed to survive by hiding inside the air duct system, only leaving her refuge inside an air exchange chamber to snatch whatever food and equipment she could find.

2. The Hadley's Hope incident

Rebecca was eventually found by Ripley and the platoon of Colonial Marines who had landed at the colony to investigate the communication breakdown with Hadley's Hope. Traumatized by the events of the previous weeks, Rebecca at first was suspicious of the new arrivals, even refusing to speak. Soon, however, Rebecca began to trust Ripley, even going as far as accepting her as some kind of surrogate mother. Rebecca later helped the survivors of the confrontations with the Xenomorphs to escape by using her knowledge of the air duct system, but became separated and was kidnapped by

117 a Xenomorph Drone to be brought to the hive inside the Atmosphere Processor. The girl had already been cocooned and was about to be impregnated when Ripley arrived and rescued her. Together, they escaped to the Sulaco in orbit of LV-426. Rebecca was again in mortal danger when the Queen was loose in the docking bay of the Sulaco, but was again saved by a joined effort of Ripley and Bishop. After the Queen had been defeated, the Sulaco set course back to Earth, and Rebecca entered hypersleep with the other survivors. Rebecca Jorden's life came to a tragic end when the EEV she was aboard crashed into the ocean on Fiorina 161. Her cryotube ruptured, and Rebecca drowned in her sleep as the water filled her tube. (A2, A3, A:NT)

Jorden, Russ: A male human living at Hadley's Hope in 2179 with his family consisting of his wife Ann Jorden and his two children, Rebecca and Timothy Jorden. Born in 2144. When the coordinates of the Derelict were made available for investigation among the colonists, Russ Jorden volunteered and set out for the location together with his family aboard a Daihotai tractor. When they reached the Derelict, Russ was wildly enthusiastic about the find, realizing that, as the discoverer of an alien artifact, he could become a rich man. Together with his wife, he entered the ship to investigate and eventually discovered the cargo hold with the Xenomorph eggs inside it. Unaware of the imminent danger, Russ approached one of the eggs and was impregnated by a Face- hugger. Ann dragged the unconscious body of her husband back to the tractor and set off a distress call to the colony. Russ was brought back to Hadley's Hope, where he was placed under medical care. Roughly one day later, something miraculous happened: The Facehugger detached from his face, and Russ woke up soon after. Kent, the doctor supervising his condition summoned Russ' wife Ann to the medbay. A discussion erupted between the three: While Russ and Ann wanted to go on with their normal life, Kent was still concerned about the events and refused to allow Russ to leave the infirmary yet. In the midst of the discussion, Russ died giving birth to a Chestburster in front of Ann and Doctor Kent – and his children Rebecca and Timothy, who secretly watched the scene from a nearby air duct. (A2, A:NT)

Jorden, Timothy: A male human child living at Hadley's Hope in 2179. Son of Russ and Ann Jor- den and the older brother of Rebecca “Newt” Jorden. Born in 2171. Timothy was a member of the family expedition to the Space Jockey Derelict on June 19, 2179. One day later, the boy witnessed the horrifying death of his father as he gave birth to a Chestburster. During the subsequent Xenomorph outbreak, which would become known as the Hadley's Hope incident, Timothy accompanied his mother and his sister into the sub-level of the colony, where a fortified shelter had been erected by the remaining survivors. When the barricade became compromised and Xenomorphs wreaked havoc, Timothy grabbed a gun to protect his mother, but was quickly overwhelmed and killed by the creatures. (A2, A:NT)

Jorell: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Thanatos incident in the 2170s. At the time of the incident, Jorell was 21 years old and had just joined the USCM, still rank - ing Cadet. Jorell was a member of Corporal Brooke's team, which killed the Xenomorph Queen and escaped the vessel in the nick of time, shortly before it self-destructed. (A:TE)

JPG-973C: A planet situated 222 light years away from Earth. Discovered in 2061, the planet turned out to be home to numerous colonies of simple bacteria, a fact which would lead to the establishment of a permanent research facility, the Tark-Weyland Station. (PR:WIW)

Jude: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Served a life sentence for first degree murder without a weapon. Jude was later killed during the attempt to lure the Xenomorph into the facility's blast furnace. (A3)

118 Judge, William: A male human and a third-generation homesteader. Judge was assigned as the replacement for Sven Crocker, the site manager of a Weyland-Yutani research station on C-3 L/M, when the Company undertook efforts to sort out a spy at the facility in the early thirties of the 23 rd century. In 2232, Judge was killed together with the other replacement staff and the two spies by a Weyland-Yutani strike force led by Charles Braley, who used the occasion to stage a fake Alien infestation to take over its rival, Planetus. (A:NE)

Juggernaut: A Mala'kak Engineer vessel encountered by the crew of the Prometheus during the LV-223 incident in 2093.With its horseshoe shape, the Juggernaut had an appearance similar to the Derelict from LV-426, but was considerably larger, spanning a length of over 300 meters.

1. Early history

Around 0 BC, the Juggernaut was situated in an underground hangar near one of the planet's chemical weapon depots, connected to the subterranean part of the actual Pyramid structure through a 1- kilometer-long corridor. This was just one of many such installations on LV-223, including a considerable number of sister ships. The Engineers had just loaded the Juggernaut with massive amounts of the Black Goo chemical weapon intended for her mission to wipe out humanity when a fatal accident unleashed the weapon in the facility. Only one Engineer survived to reach the ship and put himself in Stasis in the pilot chamber.

2. Rediscovery during the LV-223 incident

For over two millennia, the Juggernaut resided in the launch bay until it was discovered on January 1, 2094 by the android David, who was a member of the mission of the research vessel Prometheus to LV-223. When traversing the facility, the crew originally had believed the Juggernaut to be a part of the overall structure until Janek, the captain of the Prometheus, discovered its true form. After the Engineer inside the pilot chamber had been reawakened, he launched the Juggernaut in order to fulfill its original mission. However, the vessel was crippled when it was rammed by the Prometheus during a suicide run inside the planet's atmosphere and crashed back onto the surface of LV-223. (PR)

July Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-1739.01. Established in 2071, it sported a population of 150,000. June Outpost's industry focused on mining and terraforming, acting as the central manufacturing hub for Atmosphere Processors in the Outer Veil. Key resources were magnetite, aluminum and hydrogen. (PR:WIW)

June Outpost: A colony on KOI-268.01. Founded in 2069, June Outpost would sport a population of almost 3 million by 2071. At this time, June Outpost was known for being a major center for research and education, with two Weyland Academy facilities located in June Outpost. Furthermore, its industry focused on mining and light manufacturing. Key resources were europium, barite, spha- lerite and helium-3. (PR:WIW)

Junior: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Had a tear tat- tooed below his right eye. Junior led the attempt to rape Ripley at the facility's scrapyard and was severely beaten by Dillon, who foiled his plan. He later sacrificed his life during the attempt to capture the Xenomorph, luring the creature into the toxic waste vault and thus ensuring that the Alien was busy long enough so that the others could seal the vault. (A3)

119 Junket: A freighter which would become the catalyst of the Alien infestation on Earth in the 2190s. Was owned by Bionational. A ship from the earlier days of space travel, the vessel had a standard type-five configuration and featured a nuclear drive. Sometime in the early 22nd century, the Junket landed on the Xenomorph Homeworld under unknown circumstances. The ship and its crew managed to leave the planet again, but not without taking Xenomorph organisms with them. The Junket then set course to Earth. During the voyage, a Xenomorph infestation spread across the ship. Upon arrival in Earth's orbit around 2130, the infestation reached its final stage. As an unknown number of the creatures massacred the entire crew, one crew member opened the exterior airlock, resulting in his death and possibly that of other crew members and Xenomorphs. The pilot, already infected with a Xenomorph embryo, managed to eject himself in his escape pod and enter cryostasis. The Junket was now a derelict drifting in space near Earth, devoid of any life – except for a lone Xenomorph which had survived the struggle aboard. It was not until 2192 when the Junket would again attract any attention. As the ship was now dangerously close to decaying into Earth's atmosphere, the Coast Guard cutter Dutton was dispatched to investigate the Junket and dispose of it afterward. Upon inspecting the Junket with a remote drone, the two Coast Guard officers named Barton and Lyle discovered the devastating results of the infestation. After retrieving the freighter's data banks and concluding the exploration without finding any salvage, the officers planted a bomb and destroyed the Junket before it entered the atmosphere. The Xenomorph, however, had managed to sustain itself during the previous decades and used the returning probe to switch ships and kill the Dutton's crew. The pilot pod in turn was found and retrieved by Bionational, who would use the pilot's embryo to breed a Xenomorph Queen in its Lima facility. Soon after, this Queen would be freed and unleash the Alien scourge on Earth. (A:B1 – O)

*** K ***

K-014: A spaceship owned by Bionational. Equipped with a Gravity Drive and a hangar large enough to accommodate at least one lander-sized craft. The K-014 was used for Operation Out- reach, during which it was under the command of Patrick Massey and used to pursue the government vessel Benedict to the Xenomorph Homeworld. (A:B1 – O)

K25 Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-2553.01. Established in 2070, it would sport a population of 9,000 by 2071. Its industry focused on mining and research. Key resources were helium-3, hydrogen, aluminum and oxygen. (PR:WIW)

Kahn Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-1871.01. Established in 2066, it would sport a population of 3.2 million by the year 2071. Kahn Outpost's industry focused on mining and heavy manufacturing, maintaining a key role in providing machinery and vehicles for colony development. Key resources were hematite, lithium and platinum. (PR:WIW)

Kali: A planet. Notable for being the most fertile and hospitable planet mankind had discovered by the end of the 24th century. Kali was also home to the Sinjaba plant, which produced a very powerful hallucinogenic drug. (A:OS)

Kane, G. W.: A male human serving as the Executive Officer of the crew involved in the Nostromo incident. Born on April 20, 2083 in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. Had the ID number 825/G9-01K.

120 1. Early life

On May 23, 2100, Kane graduated with honors from Weatherly Private School. He continued his exemplary record with his graduation from Gunning Foss Military School on May 30, 2104, after which he enlisted at Bryce-Watkins Medical School. However, Kane's career took a turn for the worse when he was expelled from Bryce-Watkins due to substance abuse on February 13, 2108. A period of recuperation followed where Kane was successfully treated for drug-induced embolism and stress. On October 28, 2112, Kane arrived at the archeological dig site on Konor Minor to spend the next year there, during which he met Dr. Elisabeth Monygham and started a relationship with her that would eventually result in their marriage on June 17, 2114. However, Kane would suffer another personal tragedy when his wife died during a decompression accident on July 9, 2115. On December 14, 2115, Kane started working as a mission analyst for a British colonial expedition to the Outer Rim Territories. On November 1, 2117, an assignment as First Officer aboard the colonial transport Sabretooth followed. Kane would become an employee for Weyland-Yutani when he accepted a job as Executive Officer aboard the salvage vessel Kenamor. Eventually, Kane joined the crew of the Nostromo together with Lambert on January 5, 2120 and embarked on the fateful trip from Thedus to Earth one year later, a journey which would result in the Nostromo incident.

2. The Nostromo incident

After the Nostromo had landed on LV-426, Kane was part of the recon team that traversed the surface of the planetoid and found the Derelict. It was Kane who discovered the vast cargo hold of the ship filled with hundreds of Xenomorph eggs. Curious about the unknown spores, Kane approached one of the eggs. Suddenly, the egg opened and released a Facehugger, which immediately attached itself to Kane's face. Dallas and Lambert carried the unconscious Kane back to the Nostromo where he was brought to the ship's medical facilities. Attempts to remove the parasite were unsuccessful, and so all the crew could do was to leave Kane in the medbay. Hours later, the Facehugger removed itself from Kane's face, and soon after, he woke up. Seemingly unharmed, save for being exhausted and hungry, the crew met for dinner when suddenly, Kane gave violent birth to the Xenomorph, which had gestated inside Kane's body the whole time and now had reached the Chestburster stage. Kane was killed in the process. (A1)

Kareti: The proper name of the planet KOI-723.06. (PR:WIW)

Kelly: A female human and one of three Planetus technicians who were tasked with checking the security camera footage regarding a supposed Alien outbreak at a Weyland-Yutani research post on the planet C-3 L/M, a world owned by both Weyland-Yutani and Planetus. The “infestation” turned out to be a scheme on part of Weyland-Yutani to take over C-3 L/M and Planetus, and when the plan was set in motion, Kelly and her colleagues Duncan and Gavin were targeted for elimination by Weyland-Yutani. Kelly, Duncan and Gavin and the two investigators who had uncovered the truth behind the Company's master plan, Anders Kramm and Frances Stuff, managed to flee the planet aboard a Planetus spacecraft in a close escape. In the meantime, Weyland-Yutani had already taken over Planetus and redirected the ship of the Planetus survivors to the Alien-infested world of Soulages. The ship was landed on the planet, and the group proceeded to explore the nearby colony for means of escape. When the group settled down for the night at the old common building, Kelly was abducted by the Aliens and got impregnated. The others went to rescue her from the hive, but Kramm had to shoot her when he discovered that she already carried an Alien embryo. (A:NE)

121 Kennedy, Daniel: A male human and a USCM soldiers. Son of Jonah R. Kennedy and younger brother of Zoe Anna Kennedy. After his father's death, Daniel joined the USCM to honor his father and was accompanied by his older sister. (A:INF)

Kennedy, Jonah R.: A male human and a high-ranking member of the USCM corps. Father of Zoe Anna and Daniel Kennedy. A renowned officer, Jonah rose up to the rank of Commander Colonel. He died in the mid-2170s. (A:INF)

Kennedy, Zoe Anna: A female human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Cutter”. Born in the mid-2150s, Kennedy was the daughter of renowned USCM officer Colonel Jonah R. Kennedy and later the sister of her younger brother Daniel Kennedy. Rebellious and a troublemaker since childhood, Kennedy had a particularly problematic relationship with her mother. She was expelled from three schools at age 12, 13 and finally at age 14, after which she ran away from home. For the following seven years, Kennedy journeyed through the country and became involved with the underground music scene, where she gained recognition as a musician. At age 21, she returned home for her father's funeral. It was during this gathering that Daniel told his family that he would join the USCM to honor his father. Zoe followed his example, just to spite her mother, who was devastated by Daniel's announcement. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Kennedy was ranked Private First Class. During a skirmish aboard the Sulaco, she was separated from her fire team, but later joined up with Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Kent: A male human working as a doctor at the colony of Hadley's Hope on LV-426. In 2179, shortly before the Xenomorph outbreak that would seal the fate of the colony, Kent was responsible for observing the medical condition of colonist Russ Jorden after had been returned with a Facehug- ger attached to his face from an exploration tour to the Derelict. After roughly day, the Facehugger detached from his face and died, and Russ Jorden awoke shortly after, seemingly unhurt. However, Kent was still suspicious about the unknown creature's purpose and remained worried about Russ' condition. A short time later, Russ' wife Ann showed up at the medbay, and together, the Jordens pleaded with Kent to release him. Although Kent sympathized with the couple, he denied the request. In the middle of the discussion, Russ started convulsing, and Kent and Ann watched in shock as he died giving birth to a Chestburster. Kent would move on to supervise and research the conditions of the infected second search party that had come in from the Derelict shortly before Russ' death. He was later killed during the Xenomorph infestation that claimed Hadley's Hope. (A:NT)

Kepler 22b: A low-gravity planet located 535 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2052 to 2060. In 2060, a colony called Pozhalujsta Outpost was established and would sport a population of almost 2,5 million by 2071.

Kepler Mission: A space telescope created and maintained by NASA to find planets that have the potential to support human life. On November 18, 2026, the Kepler telescope was privatized and acquired by Weyland Industries who increased the funding of the mission by a factor of 10 and would discover 6,546 more prospects for colonization over the following years. (PR:WIW)

Kevin: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. He assisted Clemens during the autopsy of Rebecca Jorden and was later killed during the last ditch effort to lure the alien into a blast furnace of the facility. (A3)

122 Keyes: A male human and a USCM member. During the beginning stages of the Origin incident in late 2179, Keyes was part the first foray into the Sulaco, designated to team Rhino 2-3. When the team was attacked by Xenomorphs, Keyes was taken to a hived section of life support where a Facehugger impregnated him. After the impregnation process had been completed, Keyes was found and freed by Corporal Winter. Against the direct orders of their commanding officer Cruz, Keyes and Winter proceeded to complete Rhino 2-3's original mission and retrieved the Sulaco's flight recorder. Upon returning to the hangar bay, Keyes spotted a Xenomorph on the dropship and threw a grenade, crippling the ship and the hangar bay in the process. After a stand-off against incoming Xenomorphs,.Keyes and Winter reached the Umbilical. However, Keyes gave birth to a Chestburster halfway through the docking shaft. Waving away his comrades, Keyes used his remaining strength to detonate another grenade, obliterating himself, the Umbilical and the flight recorder in the process. (A:CMVG)

Khadaji system: A star system. Lebanon II is located in the Khadaji system. (A:B2 - NA)

Khadaji, Emile Antoon: The protagonist of the novel “The Man Who Never Missed” by Steve Perry. In 2192, shortly before the Benedict mission, Wilks used the name as an alias in order to gain access to the Feildcrest Home mental ward and rescue Billie from the compound. (A:B1 – O)

Killer Crab Alien: A Xenomorph subspecies originating from a large crab-like creature. Anatomi- cal features were a large tail with a pincer on its end and an additional set of legs. The creature also housed a smaller parasitical Xenomorph organism which the Alien could shoot out of its chest. (KAF)

Kim, James: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Chiever”, short for “Overachiever”. Fluent in Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese and Eng- lish.

1. Early life

Kim was born in the mid-2150s as the son of decorated USCM officer James H. Kim Sr. Kim had always struggled to get his father's approval, which caused him to follow in his footsteps and join USCM immediately after graduating from high school. Like his father, he attended Camp Pendel- ton and proved his determination by excelling in every task he was handed in order to impress the old man. It was this strife that earned Kim his nickname.

2. The Sulaco incident

By the time of the Sulaco incident, Kim was ranked Private First Class. After the departure of the Sephora to LV-426, Kim served as a liaison to Sean Davis and his Weyland-Yutani workforce and assisted in supervising the transfer of classified cargo from a Wey-Yu freighter inbound from LV- 426 to the Sulaco. When Fire Team Fox returned to the Sulaco and warned them of the danger the cargo posed, Kim went to the upper cargo bay to follow up on comm silence from the marines tasked with guarding the shipment. Upon arrival, Kim found out that the cargo, which was revealed to be Xenomorph eggs, had escaped and was now ravaging in the area. Kim barely had time to inform Fire Team Fox of the betrayal by Weyland-Yutani before his comm signal went out. While his comrades had to assume that he had been killed, Kim survived the encounter and made his way to the ventral cargo bay. Shortly before the final confrontation would take place inside this area, Fire Team Fox retrieved Kim, who was eager to continue the fight. (A:INF)

123 Kim, James H.: A male human and a highly decorated member of the USCM corps. Had achieved the rank of Master Sergeant upon retirement. Father of James Kim Jr., for whom he was a tough and demanding parent, which would cause his son to seek his approval by making his own career in the USCM corps. (A:INF)

Kinloch, Matt: A male human and a member of the team of scientists assigned to the cloning project aboard the Auriga in the late 24th century. It is unknown whether Kinloch escaped the Au- riga during the Xenomorph outbreak or died aboard the ship. (A:RES)

King: A male human and a member of a group of Bug Feeders. In 2193, the group had spread rumors of a miltary food cached in order to lure in victims. The trap was eventually sprung by group of three men named Nylon, Leather and Petey, who was acting as the lookout. King captured Petey with another Bug Feeder called Simmons and brought him before their leader, who had overwhelmed Nylon and Leather at the dig site. The scene was secretly filmed and broadcast by a survivor named Amy. The recording was eventually watched by Billie at Third Base during the Spears incident. (A:B2 - NA)

Kirkland Probe: A mind-reading technology allegedly used by the TIA during interrogations according to leftist publications. (A:B1 – O)

Klassen: A male human and one of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Klassen participated in defending the cargo bay aboard the Sulaco where Raider 6-5 and Cruz were located against Xenomorphs and Weyland-Yutani PMCs and helped buy enough time for Win- ter, O'Neal and Clarison to join the escape from the doomed ship. (A:CMVG)

Kobus: A male human and one of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Kobus escaped the destruction in orbit of LV-426 down to the planet and fought alongside his comrades in the final attack on the Weyland-Yutani research facility. (A:CMVG)

Koch, Hermann: A male human and one of the countless people left behind on Earth during the global Xenomorph infestation in the 2190s. Bore a striking resemblance to Albert Einstein. In 2193, Koch and his group of survivors were located in Charlotte, USA. After managing to connect to an uplink, Koch sent a distress signal detailing the desperate situation of the survivors. Some time before reaching Third Base, Wilks received this broadcast aboard the American. (A:B2 - NA)

Kohm: One of the soldiers forming First Platoon, A Company of the USCM contingent stationed at Third Base. Accompanied Spears with the rest of his platoon to the terraformer colony to deal with a group of dissidents during the Spears incident in 2193. (A:B2 - NA)

KOI-87.01: A planet located 535 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2050 to 2058. In 2058, a colony called Vanderaart Outpost was founded on KOI-87.01 and would sport a population of 10 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-227.01: A planet situated 925 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2051 to 2059, the planet was notable for being the largest planet to undergo the process by the year 2071. KOI- 227.01 housed massive deposits of metals and minerals. In 2059, Hualien Colony was founded on the planet, which would boast a population of 2.3 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

124 KOI-252.01: A planet located 1257 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2067. In 2067, a colony called September Outpost was established on KOI-252.01, which would house 4.4 million colonists by 2071. During the development of Weyland Industries' David 8 android, a titanium mining operation on this planet was chosen for testing David 8 performance during heavy duty work in an off-world setting. (PR:WIW)

KOI-255.01: A planet located 881 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2055 to 2063. In 2063, Honshu Colony was established on KOI-255.01 and would sport a population of over 6.5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-268.01: A planet situated 222 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2069. In 2069, June Outpost was founded on the planet and would sport a population of almost 3 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-314.02: A planet located 800 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2051 to 2059. Exhib- ited massive Helium-3 deposits. In 2059, a colony called Atlas City was founded on the planet and would house a population of almost 9 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-323.08: A planet situated 900 light years away from Earth. Discovered in 2062. Proper name of the planet is Platte. Became notable for its aerobic microfauna of small plant-like organisms, prompting a permanent presence of 47 researchers. (PR:WIW)

KOI-438.02: A planet located 722 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2033 to 2041. In 2041, a colony called Horizon City was founded on the planet, which would sport a population of almost 3 million people by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-448.02: A planet located 800 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2032 to 2040. In 2040, M'Toa Colony was founded on KOI-448.02, which would boast a population of 600,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-463.01: A planet located 535 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2057 to 2065. In 2065, a colony called Hera City was established on the planet, which would boast a population of over 10,5 million people by 2071. The planet and the colony were known for being one of the most prolific suppliers of food for the inner colonies. (PR:WIW)

KOI-494.01: A planet located 1242 light years from Earth. Its equator was dominated by deep toxic lakes, in which arsenic-based multi-celled life forms were discovered by human scientists. Ter- raformed from 2060 to 2067. In 2067, Angkor Colony was founded on KOI-494.01 and would sport a population of over 2.5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-571.02: A planet located 697 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2054 to 2062. In 2062, Corinth Colony was established on the planet as development and testing grounds for security technology. (PR:WIW)

KOI-610.01: A planet located 740 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2069, the planet became notable for its major military facility May Outpost, which was established in 2069 and housed a full battalion of marines, sporting a population of almost one million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

125 KOI-663.02: A planet located 467 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2057 to 2065, after traces of multi-cellular lifeforms had been discovered. In 2065, Lutetia Colony was founded on the planet, which would be home to almost 6 million colonists by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-701.03: A planet located 799 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2069. In 2069, December Outpost was established on KOI-701.03, which would sport a population of almost 1,5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-723.06: A planet located 740 light years away from Earth. Was discovered by humanity in 2068 and given the proper name “Kareti”. Despite KOI-723.06's hostile carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere, it gained scientific significance when primitive single-cell organisms were found upon the planet's discovery. (PR:WIW)

KOI-736.01: A planet located at a distance of 20 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2050 to 2058. The planet's surface consists of 75 % water, nicknaming the world the “Planet of Isles”. In 2058, a colony called Davos colony was founded on KOI-736.01. (PR:WIW)

KOI-784.01: A planet located 1062 light years from Earth. Terraforming began 2054 and was slated to be complete in 2062. However, a systemic failure of the terraforming setup, which was possibly linked to indigenous single-cell life forms below the planet's surface, delayed the process until 2069. In 2069, Dylan City was founded and would sport a population of over 90,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-812.02: A planet situated 1456 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2063 to 2069. In 2069, a colony called Craft City was established on KOI-812.02, which would sport a population of 200,000 by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-812.03: A planet located 1400 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2062 to 2068. In 2068, Ruby Colony was established, which would sport a population of 2.3 million by 2071 and become the largest starport in the Outer Veil during the latter half of the 21st century. (PR:WIW)

KOI-817.01: A planet located 936 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2043 to 2051. Notable for being one of the coldest terraformed planets as of 2071, with night time temperatures down to below -90° F. In 2051, Brahms Outpost was established and would sport a population of 750,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-854.01: A planet located 1042 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2042 to 2050. In 2050, Luther Colony was established in KOI-854.01 and would sport a population of over 3.5 million in 2071. Furthermore, the planet became notable for housing humanity's key resources of the rare-earth metals lanthanum and praseodymium during the latter half of the 21st century. (PR:WIW)

KOI-898.03: A planet located 1802 light years from Earth. Housed colonies of bacteria in the polar regions, which were discovered by human scientists in 2052. In 2053, the planet underwent terraforming which was completed in 2069. Subsequently, February Outpost was established on KOI- 898.03 in 2061 and would sport a population of 29,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

126 KOI-899.03: A planet situated 740 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2049 to 2057. In 2057, Echo Outpost was established on the planet and would sport a population of 3.25 million by the year 2071. Notable for its vast resources of the rare earth element yttrium. (PR:WIW)

KOI-947.01: A planet situated 800 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2049 to 2056. In 2056, Pelican Colony was established on the planet, which would boast a population of almost 6.5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-952.03: A planet situated 1142 light years from Earth. Terraforming began in 2057 and was slated to be completed in 2065 when an industrial accident killed 1,400 individuals and set back development for an additional year. In 2066, Huan Ying Colony was founded and would sport a population of 440,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1361.01: A planet located 790 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2052 to 2062. The planet was dominated by desert environments and housed massive mineral deposits of thulium, europium, neodymium and copper. In 2060, Blue Jay colony was established to mine and refine these deposits and would sport a population of over 2,5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1404.01: A planet located 1648 light years from Earth. Housed massive lithium deposits. Ter- raformed from 2063 to 2069. In 2069, Archimedes Colony was established on KOI-1404.01 and would sport a population of 20,000 two years later. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1422.02: A planet situated 1042 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2053 to 2060. In 2060, Tzu-Chi Colony was established and would sport a population of almost 4.5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1430.03: A planet located 1575 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2064 to 2070. In 2070, Ute Colony was established on KOI-1430.03, which would be home to 75,000 colonists in 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1686.01: A planet located 1004 light years from Earth. KOI-1686.01 became known for the tragic death of geologist Theodore Nightingale during the initial exploration of the world. Ter- raformed from 2051 to 2059. In 2059, Nightingale Colony was established. Named to honor the late scientist, it would sport a population of almost 900,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1739.01: A planet located 3095 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2066 to 2071. In 2071, July Outpost was established, sporting a population of 150,000. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1871.01: A planet located 1103 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2058 to 2066. In 2066, Kahn Outpost was founded on KOI-1871.01 and would sport a population of 3.2 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1876.01: A planet located 915 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2069. In 2069, Aires Colony was established, which would boast a population of 400,000 by 2071 and became a major hub for ore transportation. (PR:WIW)

KOI-1938.01: A planet situated 1062 light years away from Earth. Terraformed from 2047 to 2055. In 2055, Sanchez Outpost was established and would sport a population of almost 6 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

127 KOI-2020.01: A planet located 1116 light years from Earth Terraformed from 2059 to 2067, the planet consists of 80 % water and houses bacterial life forms on the sea floor, which were discovered by humanity in 2065. In 2067, January Outpost was established and would sport a population of 1.2 million by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2124.01: A planet located 631 light years from Earth. Its surface was ravaged by massive sandstorms, from which natural barriers like the Clartes mountain range provided shelter. From 2044 to 2052, KOI-2124.01 underwent an eight-year terraforming process. In 2052, Nomrom Colony was established west of the Clartes range and would sport a population of over 6,5 million by the year 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2290.01: A planet located 1242 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2068. In 2068, Capelli Colony was established on KOI-2290.01, which would sport a population of 1.6 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2311.01: A planet located 1029 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2069. No- table for the discovery of traces of bacterial life forms in 2069, prompting further exploration by scientists. In the same year, Hui Outpost was established and would boast a population of 500,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2410: A planet located 2095 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2066 to 2071. In 2071, Themis Outpost was established on KOI-2410, housing a population of 6,500 and notable for being the outermost colony of human civilization as of 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2418.01: A planet located 923 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2055 to 2063. In 2063, Curzic Outpost was established on the planet and would sport a population of almost 1.9 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2469.01: A planet situated 1456 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2061 to 2069. In 2069, a colony called October Outpost was established on KOI-2469.01 and would be home to 230,000 colonists by the year 2071. The world was a major food supplier in the latter half of the 21st century and would gain scientific significance after the discovery of micro-organisms in the southern hemisphere of the world in 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2553.01: A planet located 2181 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2065 to 2070. In 2070, K25 Colony was established on the planet and would sport a population of 9,000 by 2071. A point of interest in the vicinity of KOI-2553.01 was the Huang Zho deep space research station. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2626.01: A planet situated 1103 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2057 to 2065. In 2065, Sevodnya Colony was established and would sport a population of over 2.5 million by 2071. (PR:WIW)

KOI-2650.01: A planet located 1168 light years from Earth. Terraformed from 2059 to 2067. In 2067, Gorham Colony was established on KOI-2650.01 and would house 1 million colonists by the year 2071. The planet became known for being the site of the deepest mining operations in the Outer Veil, taking place inside shafts reaching up to 23 kilometers below the surface. (PR:WIW)

128 KOI-2770.01: A planet located 1456 light years from Earth. Several millions of years ago, KOI- 2770.01 collided with an asteroid enriched with large quantities of palladium, which led to the existence of massive deposits of the mineral palladium on the planet by the time of its discovery by mankind. KOI-2770.01 underwent the terraforming process from 2063 to 2069. In 2069, Izvinite Outpost was established on the planet and would boast a population of 780,000 by 2071. (PR:WIW)

Krakke: A male human who had joined the crew of the Betty some time after the Auriga incident as a mercenary. Was mute, though it is unknown whether by choice or because of physical damage. Looking unassuming, Krakke was actually a loyal cunning warrior and an expert at weapon assembly. Krakke helped Ripley 8 during her raids on border region trading posts where she was searching for information about the elusive Loki organization. Krakke was also involved in the Domes Epsilon incident, where he was part of the boarding crew and helped in rigging the station with explosives. Shortly before the Betty left Domes Epsilon, Krakke was knocked unconscious by the android Cody, but suffered only minor injuries. (A:OS)

Kramm, Anders: A male human who worked for Weyland-Yutani as a cleaner in the wake of the Alien infestation on Earth. Was married and had a child called Becca. Was involved in the C-3 L/M incident.

1. Enforcer of Weyland-Yutani and personal tragedy

When Earth was retaken from the Xenomorph organism in 2196, the threat emanating from those creatures was well-known among mankind. Therefore, Weyland-Yutani acted quickly when infestations broke out on colony words operated by the Company and assigned an employee called Anders Kramm to protect corporate property by acting as a cleaner. Kramm's mission was to investigate those outbreaks and take measures to contain them, preferably without attracting outside attention and only requesting support by the USCM corps when absolutely necessary. The Company provided him with in-house support, such as ex-marines like Hermann Ungar. Kramm had worked in this capacity for six years and had amassed considerable knowledge about Xenomorph physiology and behavior when, in 2202, he was ordered to investigate Xenomorph activity on the planet Soulages, the world where his wife and daughter lived at the time. Fatally underestimating the threat, Kramm lost his daughter and had to kill his own wife after she had been impregnated by the creatures. In the process, Kramm became trapped in a cave with a Xenomorph Warrior. Kramm killed the creature, but had to spend the next eight days in total darkness finding a way out. He survived the tragedy, but was deeply traumatized by the events. Although the court cleared him of all charges, Kramm left Weyland-Yutani and escaped what remained of his life by placing himself in cryogenic storage in a facility operated by Omnitech.

2. Reawakened and investigation on C-3 L/M

Thirty years later, in 2232, Kramm was woken up, finding himself in service for Planetus, who had acquired Omnitech in the meantime. He soon found out that Planetus had brought him out of cryosleep to ask him to investigate a possible Alien outbreak on the world of C-3 L/M, which was owned by both Planetus and Weyland-Yutani. Kramm reluctantly agreed as the incident in question happened at a research station in Weyland-Yutani-controlled territory and thus allowed him an opportunity to lash out at his former employer. Once on the planet, Kramm met up with Frances Stauff, a Planetus employee, and Charles Braley, a representative of Weyland-Yutani. With Stauff's assistance, he soon found out that the “infestation” was an elaborate scheme to eliminate Planetus

129 spies and take over Planetus, instigated by Braley, who turned out to be a ruthless and sadistic psy- chopath. Kramm and Stauff, with whom he was developing a romantic relationship at the time, barely escaped the planet together with Bjorn and Jolena and three technicians, which were all targeted for elimination by Braley to cover up his scheme. However, Weyland-Yutani had managed to quickly acquire Planetus in a hostile takeover. This enabled Braley to remote-access the navigation systems of the survivors' spacecraft and send them to certain death by landing it on a world actually infested with real Aliens – Soulages, the place where Kramm had lost everything he cared for thirty years ago.

3. Return to Soulages

After landing on Soulages, Kramm and the others discovered that Weyland-Yutani had transformed the old colony where Kramm had lost his family into an artificial alien hive. The hive was used to harvest the creatures with robot drones remote-controlled from a research station situated on the nearby moon. The survivors eventually made their way to a landing pad; however at the cost of the lives of Jolena and the three triplet technicians and the better part of one of Kramm's hands. Carry- ing the badly-wounded Bjorn with them, Kramm and Stauff flew the short-range spacecraft to the research station on the planet's moon and took control of the installation and the science staff, sending out a distress call to the authorities and preparing for the inevitable strike by Braley's force. By this time, Kramm had overcome his trauma and regained his will to live; his final fate, however, is unknown. (A:NE)

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LaFargue: A production line of male-type synths active during the first half of the 23rd century. Named and modeled after its creator. (A:NE)

LaFargue (C3-L/M spy): In 2232, Planetus used a LaFargue synth as a spy when a research station of their rival Weyland-Yutani on the planet C-3 L/M began to emanate unusual readings. He was inserted into the research team, backed up by another, human spy called Tobin A. Marshall, who was unaware of his spy identity. As the research team was gradually reassigned under mysterious circumstances, the LaFargue synth revealed himself to Marshall, urging them to cooperate. However, Marshall still remained suspicious, and before either of them could complete his mission, a Wey- land-Yutani strike force led by Charles Braley raided the facility and captured the spies. The LaFar- gue synth was viciously tortured, having both of his eyes plucked out and destroyed after the recording devices inside them were discovered. Subsequently, Braley had his body shredded to make sure there were no working spying devices left inside him. (A:NE)

Lambert, J. M.: A female human serving as the navigation officer during the Nostromo incident. Born in Ontario, Canada. Had the ID number 971/L6-02P.

1. Early life

Lambert started her career with graduating from New Ontario University with a Masters degree in astrocartography on May 12, 2112. Later, on June 1 of the same year, she began an internship in the astrocartography department of Ridton Corporation, located in London. During her time at Ridton, Lambert met and fell in love with Xander Chapman, director of astrocartography, and eventually married him on October 7. On October 28, she accepted an assignment as Shipping Lane Trafficator for Farside Lunar Mining at Plymouth on United America-controlled territory on Earth's moon. For

130 reasons not sufficiently documented, Lambert divorced Chapman on February 10, 2114 after having finished her assignment five days early. A week later, Lambert started working as Assistant Naviga- tor aboard the Red Star Line pleasure cruiser Infinity for the Mars-Orion route. Almost a year later, on January 29, 2115, Lambert left the Infinity and began working aboard the Ridton Corporation research vessel Leggatt as a navigation and communication officer. Three and a half years later, Lam- bert married again, this time to Lordan Hussett, who was serving as Executive Officer aboard the Leggatt. Less than a month later, on October 11, Lambert entered Weyland-Yutani service as a navigator aboard the scout vessel Adowa. Lambert's second marriage again did not last as she divorced Hussett on January 3, 2120. Lambert eventually joined the crew of the Nostromo together with Kane two days later, again as a navigator. She would still be present in this capacity when the Nos- tromo left Thedus for Earth, a voyage which would lead into the Nostromo incident.

2. Role during the Nostromo incident

When MOTHER picked up the signal and located its source on LV-426, the Nostromo's computer, following proper procedure, woke the crew from hypersleep. Lambert quickly discovered that they were only halfway on their journey back to Earth. She later was responsible for landing the Nos- tromo mostly unharmed on the surface of the hostile planetoid. Lambert also participated in the search party and explored the Space Jockey Derelict together with Kane and Dallas. The ensuing events regarding the Xenomorph quickly took its toll on Lambert, throwing her into a constant state of fear and hysteria. Lambert was killed by the Xenomorph when the remaining crew was loading the Narcissus in order to escape the Nostromo. (A1)

Lateritus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in pale-red and pale-green stripes and highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Leather: A male human and one of the vast numbers of individuals fighting for survival on the Xenomorph-infested Earth during the 2190s. Nicknamed due to his bleached Leather jacket. In 2193, Leather enlisted the help of his friends Nylon and Petey in uncovering a military food cache, intent on using it to buy himself into the Hidden Underground. However, the cache site was a trap set up by Bug Feeders, who ambushed and captured the three. Amy and her uncle Burt secretly filmed the scene and broadcast it. Billie watched the recording at Third Base during the Spears incident. (A:B2 – NA)

Lebanon II: A planet in the Khadaji system. At some point of time in the 22nd century, Lebanon II came under the rule of a former two-bit dictator from South America, Earth. USCM officer Thomas A.W. Spears defeated the dictator and confiscated his most prized possession, a pair of Smith & Wesson stainless-steel revolvers with custom wood grips. (A:B2 - NA)

Legato: An advanced research vessel operated by Weyland-Yutani in 2179. The Legato was the site of the eponymous incident, during which it was destroyed. In the aftermath of the Hadley's Hope incident, the Legato was diverted from its original mission to collect Xenomorph eggs from the Derelict on LV-426. The Weyland-Yutani scientists aboard the vessel successfully completed this mission and received a new objective: To intercept the Sulaco and kill all survivors of the Hadley's Hope incident in order to remove any evidence of the Com- pany's involvement. At an unknown point of time, the Legato also received cryotubes of abducted colonists for Xenomorph breeding experiments. Upon arrival at the Sulaco, the Legato's crew managed to establish a link to the military vessel via an Umbilical. Soon after, however, a Xenomorph outbreak took place aboard the science ship,

131 which slowly claimed the whole ship. During these events which would became known as the Legato incident, the Umbilical was severed by a marine survivor from the Sulaco's mission named Hicks and a colonist from the Legato named Stone in order to escape the self-destruction of the Legato, which occurred shortly after due to the actions of another colonist named Lisbeth Hutchins. (A:CMVG_SI)

Legato incident: A Xenomorph outbreak aboard the Weyland-Yutani science vessel Legato in 2179 that originated from Xenomorph eggs collected from the Derelict on LV-426 shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident in the same year. The Legato incident was indirectly responsible for the Fury 16 incident and also caused the Xenomorph infestation aboard the Sulaco, which would play a central role during the Sulaco incident and the Origin incident later that year.

1. Prelude

During the Hadley's Hope incident, Carter J. Burke, a Weyland-Yutani representative who accompanied the recon mission, secretly managed to send a text-only message to his employer, which caused the Company to divert one of its vessels in the vicinity, the advanced science vessel Legato, to LV- 426, its mission to investigate the Xenomorphs and secure live specimens. But the Legato came too late: By the time it arrived at LV-426, the Atmosphere Processor of the colony had already gone critical, effectively eradicating the hive at Sub-Level 3 of the processor. However, the scientists discovered that the Derelict had escaped destruction. They successfully extracted a number of Xenomorph eggs from the wreckage and brought them to the Legato. At an unknown point of time, the ship had received a cargo of abducted cryotubes containing colonists, and the team of scientists commenced breeding experiments using the colonists as hosts for the Xenomorphs. Eventually, the Legato received a second mission: to intercept the Sulaco and eliminate any evidence of Weyland-Yutani involvement in the Hadley's Hope incident, including possible survivors. After arriving at the scene, the Legato established an Umbilical connection to the military vessel and began its investigation.

2. Outbreak

While the Legato was tethered to the Sulaco, a Xenomorph outbreak occurred aboard the Legato under unknown circumstances. Weyland-Yutani PMCs desperately tried to put a stop to the mayhem by mercilessly eradicating both the creatures and the human colonists, but to no avail: Not only were the Xenomorphs slowly taking over the Legato, but a number of them also entered the Sulaco and began a second infestation. Amidst the chaos, the fates of several colonists intertwined. Lisbeth Hutchins, already pregnant with a Xenomorph embryo, awoke in a storage hold and began roaming the ship in search of her parents, who were also among the original settlers. Another colonist named Andrews helped her locate them, but was killed by a Xenomorph shortly after. Hutchins was then rescued by another pair of settlers, Samwell Stone and Turk. Stone, an ex-military, had heard about the Sulaco's presence and intended to enter the vessel in order to call for help and escape the Xenomorphs, but Hutchins was adamant about finding her parents. The three stuck together for a while, but Hutchins left the group at the Umbilical to continue her search while Stone and Turk switched ships.

3. Final fate of the Legato and aftermath

Hutchins eventually found her parents inside one of the cargo bays, both of them killed by Wey- land-Yutani PMCs as part of their containment mission. Grieving and furious, Hutchins decided to

132 rig the Legato to self-destruct, intending to exact revenge against the Company and put an end to the outbreak. She informed Stone of her plan, who managed to sever the Umbilical connection using the Sulaco's weapons seconds before the Legato exploded. The repercussions of the Legato incident were severe: The infestation of the Sulaco caused by the incident was responsible for the presence of the Facehuggers inside the ship's cryotube compartment that caused the Fury 16 incident and sealed the fate of Ellen Ripley. The infestation spread throughout the ship, creating several Queens. Later in 2179, the USCM corps would investigate the Sulaco and combat the Alien presence during the Sulaco incident and the Origin incident before the ship would crash into LV-426 during the latter confrontation, taking all Xenomorphs aboard with it. (A:CMVG_SI)

Leo Colony: The second colony on Mars. Founded in 2041. Had a population of over 22 million by the year 2071. Notable for its advanced weapons and terraforming research operations, featuring the largest array of Atmosphere Processors in the system. Additionally, Leo Colony was prolific in the fields of tourism, mining and light and heavy manufacturing. The key resources were cerium, nickel, tungsten and neodymium (PR:WIW)

Leroy: A male human of Chinese descent. During the Xenomorph infestation of Earth during the 2190s, Leroy was among those left behind and became part of the same group of survivors to which Amy, her mother Mona, Burt and others belonged. (A:B2 - NA)

Lesser Miami: A city in the United States of America on Earth. Lesser Miami was the location of one of the first Xenomorph nests uncovered and destroyed during the beginning of the Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Levitz: A representative of Bionational. Shortly after the start of the Benedict mission in 2192, Levitz attended the San Diego Arms Fair, teasing the release of a new bio-weapon technology based on the Xenomorph, which generated considerable interest. (A:B1 – O)

Levon Colony: A colony on Gliese 667 cb. Founded in 2042. By the year 2071, its population had increased to1.5 million. The colony's industrial sectors included energy, manufacturing and transportation, taking an important role in designing an advanced FTL-capable vessel in the late 22nd century. The key resources of Levon Colony are titanium, holmium, helium-3 and niobium. (PR:WIW)

Levy, Richard: A male human and a Weyland-Yutani weapon scientist. Levy had a prolific past of constructing new weapon systems and was eventually transferred to Michael Weyland's personal frigate. In 2179, the frigate landed at the construction site of the Origin facility on LV-426. When USCM soldier Corporal Dwayne Hicks was captured on Fiorina 161 in the aftermath of the Legato incident, Levy initially assisted Michael Weyland in the interrogation of Hicks. During the discus- sions between Weyland and Hicks, Levy became increasingly disturbed about Weyland's ruthlessness and his intention to control the Xenomorph at any cost. Eventually, Levy's conscience caused him to turn on his former superior and free Hicks. Together, they escaped the ship aboard an EEV, which, due to its inability to work inside an atmosphere, crash-landed onto LV-426's surface only a few dozen meters from the frigate. Intending to use the main comm relay of the facility to send Hicks' message, the two traversed the perimeter around the Origin site. Eventually, an overwhelming attack by Weyland-Yutani APCs forced Levy and Hicks to go underground, where they stumbled upon an expansive hive created by Xenomorphs who had survived the Hadley's Hope incident. Following a tunnel dug to capture the

133 new Queen, they reached the inner compound. Passing through the containment module and its labs, the two finally reached the main comm relay where they managed to initiate the sending of the message despite being attacked by an onslaught of Xenomorphs. However, at the last second, Michael Weyland ordered a missile barrage on the comm dish, and the transmission was cut short. Surrounded by Weyland-Yutani forces, Hicks and Levy were captured again. Levy's final fate is unknown, but it is unlikely that he survived Weyland's wrath. (A:CMVG_SI)

Lifeboat: An ejectable luxury pod that is capable of sustaining one human life for up to 50 years. The concept was patented by Weyland Industries under the file number 15,999,127 on May 6, 2057. A model presented by the corporation in the 2070s featured seven rooms tailored for the exclusive needs of its user, a Cryotube and its own navigation and piloting controls. The research vessel Prometheus was outfitted with a lifeboat module to serve as the personal quarters for Meredith Vickers during its mission to LV-223 launched in 2091. (PR:WIW)

Likowski, James. T: A male human and a freighter pilot. Inadvertently caused the Xenomorph infestation of Earth in 2192, which would become known as the Earth War. Likowski was born around the turn of the 22nd century. Not much is known about Likowski's early life, other than the fact that he got married to a woman named Mary and fathered two children. Likowski worked as a freighter pilot, and around 2130, he left Earth for a cargo haul aboard the spaceship Junket. Through unknown circumstances, the Junket traveled to the Xenomorph Home- world and landed on the planet. The Junket managed to leave the homeworld, but not before becoming infested. By the time the Junket reached Earth, the Xenomorphs had decimated almost the entire crew. Likowski managed to eject aboard the pilot pod, but took a Facehugger with him that proceeded to impregnate Likowski, who entered a coma from which he would not awaken for several decades. In 2192, the fate of the Junket was discovered by the Coast Guard. This information, including the fact that the pilot pod was missing, reached Bionational, which subsequently tracked down and retrieved the pilot pod. The corporation transferred Likowski to its Houston facility where he was awakened and put under medical surveillance. He eventually died from giving birth to a Xenomorph, which turned out to be a Queen. This Queen would be unleashed onto mankind and cause a global Xenomorph infestation known as the Earth War. (A:B1 – O)

Lin, Quan Chu: A human male and member of the Chinese military. In 2192, Lin, ranking Major at the time, attended the San Diego Arms Fair. Hearing about the buzz concerning a new bio-weapon technology based on the Xenomorph reportedly in development at Bionational, Lin became very excited about the product and demanded a 60-day exclusive. (A:B1 – O)

Ling, Chester O.: A male human and one of the three doctors working at Hadley's Hope during the Xenomorph outbreak in 2179. As a surgeon, Ling was involved in removing the Facehugger from a colonist called John L. Marachuk. Ling later died during the outbreak. (A2)

Linguafoeda Acheronsis: The accepted scientific name for the Xenomorph species. Translates to “foul tongue from Acheron”.

Little Explorers: A charity organization that supports troubled middle school students who are interested in science and technology. On November 20, 2042, Little Explorers received a financial support of 5 billion dollars by Weyland Industries. (PR:WIW)

134 Lockheed Martin: An aerospace, defense and security company. Weyland Industries acquired Lockheed Martin in 2032. (PR:WIW)

Lockheed Martin Special: An engine type. The infamous Betty was equipped with Lockheed Mar- tin Specials. (A:OS)

Lockwood, C.: A human individual and one of the persons affected by Xenomorph-related nightmares during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192. The case came to the attention of Dr. Waidslaw Orona and was filed under Case #232745. (A:B1 – O)

Loki: A secret organization within Earth government. Founded to entertain contact and dealings with the alien race of the Mala'kak. Named after the god of lies from Norse mythology. Loki is ruthless and does not shy away from sacrificing human lives, should its objectives or the concealment of its existence require it.

1. Foundation

At an unknown date in human history, mankind made first contact with a technologically advanced race called the Mala'kak. In order to ensure a peaceful coexistence between the two races, EarthGov founded the Loki organization as a liaison to the Mala'kak. Its existence as well as that of the Mala'kak was kept a secret from the rest of humanity, and Loki itself was conceived to be situated outside the governmental structure so that EarthGov could disassociate from its dealings.

2. Role in the Nostromo incident

Over the years, however, Loki's role expanded to that of a negotiator for various transactions and dealings with the alien race. The first major one of those deals occurred in 2121, when EarthGov sought an effective means of fighting political dissidents. Loki approached the Mala'kak with this matter, and a deal was struck: In exchange for mankind giving up the world of Bahgreb, the Mala'kak provided Loki with the coordinates of the Derelict on LV-426, where they knew that numerous Xenomorph Eggs still existed, which would suit the need of EarthGov to breed an effective biological weapon. Loki in turn relayed these coordinates to a close business partner of the government, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, who subsequently inserted an android agent called Ash into the crew of one of their cargo haulers, the Nostromo, who would take measures to redirect the ship and secure a Xenomorph specimen. Although the plan was eventually foiled, this triggered the Nos- tromo incident, humanity's first major contact with the Xenomorph.

3. Further history and a new enemy

During the next 250 years, Loki continued to exist in secret, managing to survive such major events as the Earth War and the downfall of Weyland-Yutani. During this time, Loki was responsible for keeping every contact of mankind with the Xenomorph a secret, possibly even arranging the ban- ning of records about the creatures like Morse's account of the Fury 16 incident. However, during the Auton Purge, a single fugitive android named Annalee Call hacked into the mainframe of the Ministry of Defense shortly before she left Earth, discovering hints to the Loki organization and its connection to the Xenomorph organism. After she and a clone of the original Ellen Ripley, Ripley 8, had survived the Xenomorph outbreak aboard the Auriga in 2381, they vowed to continue their fight and prevent humanity from getting their hands on the Alien. Their first step would be to track down

135 Loki and stop the organization. Meanwhile, Loki tracked down other Autons who had escaped the purge and placed them under its control, creating a group of covert agents for its cause.

4. The Domes Epsilon incident

It took several years for Ripley 8, Call and the crew of the mercenary ship Betty to catch up with Loki and its plans. Eventually, the group found out about the most recent deal between Loki and the Mala'kak. In exchange for the permission to exploit a world rich in minerals under Mala'kak control, Loki agreed to provide human-bred Xenomorphs for the alien race, which needed the creatures to combat its infertility. Loki chose the botanic space station Domes Epsilon as the target and inserted the android agent Earl Cody into the station's staff. Later, a second agent posing as a freighter pilot inserted a Xenomorph Egg into Domes Epsilon together with several adult Xenomorphs genetically engineered by Mala'kak. Loki had also become aware of the danger the crew of the Betty posed and sent a small attack vessel to intercept the ship on its way to Domes Epsilon. The objective of the strike team was to board the Betty and secure information about the extent of Loki's information leak, either by capturing the crew or securing the board computer. After entering the Betty, the team was quickly overwhelmed by Ripley 8 and the others. Having failed the mission, the fail-safe protocol was enacted, killing the members of the strike force and destroying its ship before the crew of the Betty could learn more about its assailants. Ripley 8 and the others eventually arrived at Domes Epsilon, but were too late to stop the infestation. Still, Loki's plan was foiled as the crew of the Betty managed to destroy the station together with all Xenomorphs aboard. These events became known as the Domes Epsilon incident. (A:OS)

Loney: A human colonist living at Hadley's Hope on LV-426. During the Xenomorph outbreak in 2179, Loney was part of an armed scouting party led by fellow colonist Drapers whose mission was to locate the Xenomorph hive. Upon finding the nest inside the sub-levels of the nearby Atmosphere Processor, a firefight broke loose during which almost all party members, including Loney, were killed. (A:NE)

Losso, John: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Booker”. Booker was born in the first half of the 2150s. Having always been a military buff, Losso joined the USCM at the first opportunity and soon became an exemplary student and later a remarkable in- fantryman. Served and distinguished himself during Operation Arcturian Freedom. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Losso was ranked Lance Corporal. During an engagement on the Sulaco, Losso was separated from his squad, but later rejoined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Lucain: A mercenary who was part of Massey's team dispatched to intercept the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld. Lucain was killed during an attack of winged creatures near the Alien hive. (A:B1 – O)

Luna: The moon of Earth, the third planet of the Sol system. On April 2031, Weyland Industries started terraforming on Luna, a process which would be concluded in 2039. In the same year, Luna's first colony was established, being the first extra-planetary human colony. A second colony situated in the Sea of Tranquility followed in 2041. As of 2071, Luna was home to almost 6 and a half million colonists. Weyland Industries maintained a biomedical field office on Luna during the 2070s. During the 2190s, Luna and its colonies became a refuge for countless humans fleeing the Xenomorph infestation on Earth. (PR:WIW)

136 Luna Colony: Mankind's first settlement outside Earth. Founded in 2039. Had a population of 4,27 million by the year 2071. The colony's infrastructure consists of mining, transportation, refining and heavy industry, its key resources being helium-3, hydrogen, aluminum, silica, water and oxygen. (PR:WIW)

Lutetia Colony: A colony on KOI-663.02. Established in 2065. Sported a population of almost 6 million by 2071. Lutetia Colony's industry focused on heavy manufacturing and mining. The colony's key resources were niobium, europium, neodymium and copper. (PR:WIW)

Luther Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-854.01. Established in 2050, it would sport a population of over 3.5 million by 2071. Its industry of mining, refining and heavy manufacturing focused on exploiting the planet's resources of the rare-earth metals lanthanum and praseodymium, maintaining the role of a key provider for these metals during the second half of the 21st century. (PR:WIW)

LV-223: A moon in the Zeta 2 Reticuli system. Once inhabited by the extra-terrestrial race dubbed the Engineers, who also stored its location in the genetic memory of the human race when they created it. Notable for being the site of the LV-223 incident, the first contact of a space-faring humanity with the Engineers.

1. Composition, structure and fauna

LV-223 was a barren world, devoid of major wildlife or plants, and sported an atmosphere hostile to humans, consisting of 71% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and traces of argon gas, with the CO² level at 3%. The surface was also exposed to massive thunderstorms and silica storms with velocities of 200 miles per hour. Despite these adverse conditions, LV-223's landscape was impressive, consisting of massive valleys and mountain ranges up to 16 kilometers high. The moon may have also housed a multi-cellular fauna, judging from a species of worms discovered during the LV-223 incident. How- ever, this theory is open to debate as the only specimens were found inside an Engineer compound with an altered atmosphere. Furthermore, the worms may have been imported to the world by the Engineers, be it intentional or by accident.

2. History

LV-223 was discovered by the Engineers at an unknown point in time. Since the planet was far enough away from their homeworld and colonies, it was chosen by the beings as manufacturing and storing grounds for weapons of mass destruction. Many pyramid-like silos with underground hangars were constructed on LV-223, several of them in a valley near one of the tallest mountains of the planet. Parts of the world, such as the silos, were terraformed to accommodate the Engineers (and by that the human) metabolism. About 0 BC, the Engineers, or a faction of the race, decided to wipe out the human race using a chemical weapon dubbed the Black Goo. However, a fatal accident took place in one of the pyramids and wiped out almost all individuals involved in the operation, effectively stopping it. LV-223 was discovered by the human race in the late 22nd century. By the time the research vessel Prometheus reached the moon in 2093, it had been all but abandoned by the Engineers. The mission would be met with disaster and become known as the LV-223 incident. (PR)

137 LV-223 incident: The events surrounding the final phase of Project Prometheus, the ill-fated scientific mission of the research vessel Prometheus to the moon LV-223 in the Zeta 2 Reticuli system. Notable as the first contact between a technologically advanced mankind and the enigmatic race dubbed the Engineers.

1. Culmination of Project Prometheus

Project Prometheus was the embodiment of the vision of wealthy industrialist Sir Peter Weyland, its objective being to search space for mankind's origin. During the late 70s of the 21st century, a cooperation between Weyland Industries and the scientists Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and Dr. Charlie Holloway led to a breakthrough when multiple archeological digs yielded the location of a single distant star system. The last logical step for Project Prometheus was a journey to this system, and thus, preparations for such an endeavor immediately went underway and were finally concluded with the departure of a team of scientists aboard the Prometheus in 2091.

2. Arrival on LV-223 and initial exploration

On December 21, 2093, the Prometheus reached its destination, the star system Zeta 2 Reticuli and the crew was awakened from cryosleep. Officially, the mission was supposed to be led by Shaw and Holloway, but both were superseded by Weyland Industries representative Meredith Vickers, who would act as the mission supervisor, protecting company investments. After the crew was briefed about the mission by Vickers, Shaw and Holloway, the Prometheus landed near an artificial pyramid-like structure on the moon LV-223. A first foray into the pyramid unearthed spectacular findings: It became apparent that the structure had been built by an advanced extra-terrestrial race which Shaw and Holloway believed to be the creators of mankind. Furthermore, the air inside the facility turned out to be breathable for humans, hinting at advanced terraforming technology employed by the Engineers. However, the exploration also revealed unsettling evidence for a mysterious catastrophic event that had wiped out the Engineers some 2000 years ago. Eventually, the team discovered a room with a gigantic statue of a humanoid head surrounded by a large number of Am- pules. The tour was cut short by the discovery that the atmospheric seal of the installation had been inadvertently broken by the scientists and that the change began to quickly take its effect. A massive approaching storm caused the party to retreat to the Prometheus, but not before securing the head of a decapitated Engineer corpse. Unnoticed by the rest of the team, the android David also sneaked an Ampule aboard the ship. Two of the scientists, the geologist Fifield and the biologist Millburn, got lost in the installation and had to wait out the storm.

3. Revelation and Shaw's infection

An autopsy of the Engineer head led to a stunning discovery: The DNA matched that of a human, confirming Shaw's theory that humanity originated from the Engineers. Meanwhile, David, who was acting on his own secret agenda, infected Holloway with the contents of the Ampule, a substance dubbed the Black Goo. Holloway then in turn infected Shaw during sexual intercourse.

4. Discovery of the Juggernaut

Next morning, the storm had passed. Since Fifield and Millburn had failed to report in and contact could not be established, a search mission was launched to find the missing scientists. Under the pretense of fixing a malfunctioning Spectagraph, David embarked on an exploration of his own, discovering a Juggernaut ship inside an underground hangar. By operating the ship's system, David

138 learned that the ship had been about to depart for Earth to eradicate humanity with the Black Goo when an accident had killed the Engineer crew 2000 years ago. He also discovered that one Engi- neer had survived the mayhem by putting himself into cryosleep.

5. Escalation

The team eventually found Millburn's dead body, who had fallen prey to a worm mutated by the Black Goo, which was now leaking from the Ampules. When Holloway's health rapidly declined, the team rushed back to the Prometheus. However, Vickers intercepted them at the entrance, refusing to let Holloway inside due to the risk of contamination. Holloway, unable to bear the pain any longer, chose to be immolated by Vickers' flamethrower. Witnessing his death, Shaw suffered a nervous breakdown and lost consciousness. Hours later, Shaw awoke in the ship's medbay. David informed her that she was pregnant with a fetus of unknown origin. Refusing to be put into cryosleep, Shaw removed the monstrous embryo with the assistance of a MedPod. Meanwhile, a mutated Fi- field returned to the Prometheus, wreaking havoc in the cargo bay and killing several crew members before being subdued.

6. Peter Weyland's endgame

Dazed and traumatized, Shaw roamed the corridors of the ship and discovered that Weyland had secretly accompanied the mission and was preparing to visit the last remaining Engineer in order to plea for means to prolong his life. David, who had been programmed to act on Weyland's orders, led Weyland, Shaw and several other crew members into the Juggernaut, awakened the Engineer and relayed Weyland's request to the being. The first contact situation turned fatal when the Engineer reacted by decapitating David and killing all crew members present except for Shaw, who managed to flee the ship. The Engineer proceeded to launch the ship and complete his original mission, but the Juggernaut was crippled when Janek, the captain of the Prometheus, crashed his vessel into the departing ship, sacrificing himself and the ship in the process. Vickers managed to leave the Prometheus inside an escape pod, but was killed by the Juggernaut as it crashed onto LV-223's surface. Shaw managed to reach the lifeboat that had been dropped by Janek before the Prometheus' destruction, only to be attacked by the Engineer, who had survived the crash. During the fight, Shaw managed to open the door the MedPod, unleashing her embryo which, having grown considerably, quickly overwhelmed the Engineer. David, who was still functional despite his decapitation, contacted Shaw, requesting her to retrieve him and revealing that there were many other Engineer ships on LV-223 and that he would be able to operate a ship and take them back to Earth. Shaw agreed on the condition that he would take her to the Engineer homeworld instead so that she could find out why the Engineers, who had once created humanity, now wanted to destroy it. On January 1, 2094, Shaw and David left LV-223 after sending a message discouraging any further missions to the moon. (PR)

LV-426: A planetoid and one of the major moons of the Jovian super giant Zeta 2 IV in the Zeta II Reticuli star system. Has an equatorial diameter of about 12.000 km, a gravity of 0.86g and a daily rotation of about 5 Earth standard days. Was the site of mankind's first two major contacts with the Xenomorph species.

1. Early history

A long time before the Nostromo incident in 2122, a Space Jockey spacecraft containing a large number of Xenomorph eggs crashed on LV-426. The exact date of the crash is unknown, as there

139 was never an opportunity to perform a scientific dating, although the fossilization of the pilot by the year of 2122 suggests a large number of years. However, the age is theoretically limited to 2 billion years, when the star system was formed. Therefore, the crash may have happened during the galaxy-wide Xenomorph epidemic 1.6 billion years ago. A beacon signal was activated aboard the ship either by an automatic system or by the pilot before he died giving birth to a Xenomorph, emanating ever since. It has been hypothesized that LV-426 was “acquired” by Zeta 2 IV around 40 million years ago.

2. Discovery by mankind

Early during the 21st century, a French fly-by probe cataloged the system without particularly notic- ing LV-426. It was not until May 14, 2039, that LV-426 was discovered by astronomers of Weyland Industries. The corporation's CEO, Sir Peter Weyland, issued a statement about the discovery, expecting humanity to be able to travel to the planetoid within a century and, with sufficient terraforming, to colonize it. However, a black-ops division of the human government called Loki had secret dealings with the race the crashed vessel on LV-426 belonged to, the Space Jockeys or Mala'kak. It was them who provided Loki with the location of LV-426 and information about their derelict. This information was in turn passed to Weyland-Yutani who subsequently inserted the android agent Ash into the crew of one of their ships, the Nostromo, and directed the vessel to LV-426. Following official protocol to investigate, the Nostromo landed on LV-426.

3. Role during the Nostromo incident

By the time of the Nostromo landing in 2122, LV-426 was a hostile barren world incapable of sustaining human life. Its surface was covered by a rocky landscape ravaged by rough winds. The search party of the Nostromo had to traverse about 2 km in distance on foot to reach the Derelict. There, Kane discovered a vast cargo hold filled with Xenomorph eggs. Kane became impregnated by a Facehugger and was subsequently carried back to the Nostromo. After repairing the ship's systems, which had suffered minor damage during touchdown, the Nostromo took off again.

4. Colonization

LV-426 was thoroughly analyzed during the first scientific survey in the 30s of the 22nd century. It was then discovered that radiation in the infrared emanating from Zeta 2 IV created a zone where, theoretically, worlds capable of sustaining human life could exist, one of them being LV-426. Some time after, a massive undertaking to colonize LV-426 went underway. Supported by fast advances in lightspeed traveling during the time, a network of around 30 Atmosphere Processors was set up on the planetoid, which, over the course of decades, transformed the atmosphere of LV-426 to be breathable by humans. 20 years before Ripley would be found aboard the Narcissus, a colony was founded adjacent to one of the Atmospheric Processors. This colony was named Hadley's Hope by its founders. It was also during this time that LV-426 received its nickname “Acheron”.

5. The Hadley's Hope incident

Ripley's account of the landing of the Nostromo reached an employee of Weyland-Yutani, Carter Burke, in 2179. Burke passed the coordinates of the Derelict to the colony's command section, who released the coordinates to be checked out by volunteers. It was the Jorden family who eventually discovered the Derelict, which, in the meantime, had been partially buried under rocks due to volcanic activity. However, the cargo hold was still accessible. Russ Jorden was impregnated and trig-

140 gered a Xenomorph outbreak which set up a hive in the Atmosphere Processor of the colony after having virtually wiped out the population of Hadley's Hope. About a month later, a recon mission including Ripley, Burke and a squad of Colonial Marines reached LV-426, resulting in the second major contact with the Xenomorph species, known as the Hadley's Hope incident. During this incident, the Atmosphere Processor of Hadley's Hope became damaged and was obliterated in a nuclear explosion that took Hadley's Hope and, presumably, the Derelict with it.

6. Aftermath

LV-426 seemed to be finally free of the Xenomorph. However, as the Derelict had been protected from the blast by a rock formation called the Ilium Range, it remained unharmed by the destruction. Hadley's Hope itself was ruined by the blast wave, but some parts of the colony were left relatively intact. The radioactive fallout, however, was considerable and mutated remnants of the Xenomorph nest. Other surviving Xenomorphs created a new hive with its own queen in a cave system near the Derelict. Due to the massive explosion of the Atmosphere Processor, the region included in the blast radius became geographically unstable during the weeks following the Hadley's Hope incident. Earthquakes and landslides began to ravage the area, and subterranean magma streams were exposed to the surface.

7. Role during the Sulaco incident

In the meantime, the UPP had discovered the Sulaco drifting in space and found records of the Hadley's Hope incident. Eager to retrieve the Xenomorph organism, the UPP set up a heavily fortified observation post near the Derelict. This post was largely destroyed when the USCM caught up with the operation. After successfully sabotaging the UCC facility's anti-air guns and sensors, a USCM fire team reached the Derelict and made a dark discovery: The Xenomorph originating from the Space Jockey pilot had survived and roamed the pilot chamber of the wreckage. After a dramatic confrontation, the monstrous creature was killed by the fire team.

8. The Origin incident

But it was not only the UPP that became interested in the Xenomorphs during the aftermath of the Hadley's Hope incident. Weyland-Yutani eventually received confirmation of the Xenomorph presence and outbreak and diverted its advanced science vessel Legato to LV-426. By the time of arrival, the Atmosphere Processor had already obliterated the original infestation, which caused the scientists to extract Xenomorph eggs from the Derelict instead. Weyland-Yutani also began to set up a long-term research facility around the Derelict, which received the codename “Origin”. Weyland- Yutani employee Joshua Morris was assigned to be the foreman for the construction. Morris soon not only had to deal with the geographic instability of the region, losing several research modules to earthquakes and unstable rock formations, but was also confronted with the threat of the Xenomorph hive inside the cave system in the vicinity of the Derelict. Eventually, the Company managed to capture the Queen and place it inside a containment module for study and harvesting. Seventeen weeks after the explosion of the Atmosphere Processor, Hadley's Hope and the Weyland- Yutani research base became the site of a major military conflict involving the USCM, Weyland-Yu- tani and the Xenomorphs, which became known as the Origin incident. During the incident, two Conestoga-class transports, the USS Sephora and the Sulaco, which had been relocated to the orbit of LV-426 by Weyland-Yutani, were destroyed and crashed into the planet, further deforming the terrain. As a result of USCM intervention during the conflict, the research base and the Derelict site

141 were abandoned, leaving LV-426 to the Xenomorphs once again. (A1, A2, A:CMTM, A:OS, A:INF, PR:WIW)

Lydecker: A male human serving as the Assistant Operations Manager for Hadley's Hope in 2179. He conferred with Simpson, his boss, about the claim of the Jorden family on whatever they would find at the coordinates Burke had provided the colony with. Lydecker later died during the initial Xenomorph infestation. (A2)

Lyle: A male human working for the Coast Guard during the late 22nd century. Bore the rank of En- sign in 2192, serving under Commander Barton aboard the Coast Guard cutter Dutton. In the same year, Lyle and Barton were dispatched aboard the Dutton to detonate the wreckage of a derelict freighter named Junket. During the investigation, Lyle remote-controlled the Dutton's probe to explore the derelict spacecraft. Soon, Lyle and Barton discovered the horrific remains of the Xenomorph rampage inside the vessel, but erroneously attributed them to a crew member gone insane. After retrieving the flight data and destroying the Junket, Lyle and Barton were killed by the Xenomorph from the Junket, which had jumped ship aboard the probe. (A:B1 – O)

Lynch, Michael: One of the leading minds of scientific Xenomorph research by the end of the 24th century. His contribution on the Anchorpoint Essays is considered to be a standard work on the subject.

LX-469: A planet. Notable as the world where the Bishop android involved in the Hadley's Hope incident had been assembled. (KAF)

*** M ***

M'Toa Colony: A colony established on KOI-448.02 in 2040. Housed a population of 600,000 by 2071. The colony had a diverse industry, ranging from research and biotech to electronics and refining. M'Toa Colony was also the location of the Weyland-Harte Research Center. Key resources were hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, methane and ethane. (PR:WIW)

M-69 Machine Gun: A machine gun used by the USCM corps during the 2190s. Spears used modified M-69s in an attempt to train his Xenomorphs to use firearms. (A:B2 - NA)

M3 Personal Armor: The standard infantry armor of the USCM corps during the late 2170s. Man- ufactured by Armat. Designed to provide maximum protection without limiting the wearer's movement. Derived from the Cuirasse de Combat of the French Armed Forces. To be used with the M10 Ballistic Helmet.

1. Armor characteristics

The M3's shell consists of four layers of protection. The outermost layer is made of an ultra-light titanium aluminide alloy for structural integrity and ablative protection against lasers. The core layer beneath is a fusion of boron carbide resin, a material hard enough to shatter a bullet on impact and absorb its energy, and a carbon fibre-layer offering additional ballistic protection. The fourth and final layer on the inside is a liner made of 1500 denier Venlar fibres that consumes the last remaining impact energy and stops fragment leftovers. While not strong enough to deflect direct hits with high-velocity bullet fire and HEAP rounds, the M3 armor is effective against most bullet and fragmentation projectiles. Stealth characteristics include rounded surfaces and infrared masking.

142 2. Components

The M3 armor consists of two two armor plates encasing the wearer and two shoulder pads. These elements are held together and connected by webbing straps. The pack portion also contains an arch for attaching an IMP. Sensors inside the armor plates relay bio-data to the transmitter inside the M10 Helmet via optic cable. The rear left of the shoulder pads supports the mounting of a TNR light. Additional armor pieces below the chest piece protect the abdomen and genitals. The leg portion of the M3 consists of greaves reaching from ankle to knee, with separate articulated knee sections.

3. Variants

Several variants of the M3 exist. A reinforced variant of the M3, with a thicker outer alloy, providing additional structural integrity and physical armor, while a lightweight issue provides additional speed by incorporating a lightweight composite in the inner layer. A third type features an anti-corrosive coating, protecting the wearer from acid damage. (A2, A:CMTM, A:CMVG)

M10 Ballistic Helmet: The standard ballistic helmet used by the USCM corps. Features a tactical camera, an audio microphone, an IFF transmitter and a PRC 489/4 receiver/transmitter gear. Addi- tionally, the M10 is equipped with a passive infrared sight that can be lowered in front of the left eye and superimposes infrared data captured by the tactical camera over the wearer's view. (A2, A:CMTM)

M20 Claymore Mine: An anti-personnel proximity mine manufactured by Armat and used by the USCM corps. Loaded with ball bearings on top of a high explosive compound. (A:CMVG)

M239 Offensive Grenade: A hand grenade with a timed fuse. Used by the USCM corps during the Sulaco incident. (A:INF)

M240 Flamethrower: A flamethrower model used by the USCM corps. Was part of the equipment of the USCM platoon involved in the Hadley's Hope incident and later the Origin incident in 2179. The M240 is 88cm long and weighs 2,7 kg fully-loaded. The fuel used by the weapon consists of pressurized and ultra-thickened napthal that can be fired over a range of 30 meters, or 50 meters with a high-angle shot. The fuel cell can be refilled directly or replaced entirely with a new one. The nozzle burner and the firing trigger are operated separately, which allows for a “wetshot” option, where the fuel is sprayed onto a target without using the nozzle burner, to be ignited afterward with another shot. (A2, A:INF, A:CMVG, CMTM)

M37A2 Pump Shotgun: A shotgun model manufactured by Armat. Saw action during the Origin incident in late 2179. Loaded by a pump-action mechanism, it features semi-automatic firing from an 8-round clip. (A:CMVG)

M39 Sub-machine Gun: A automatic sub-machine gun developed by Armat. By the year 2179, it was the standard sub-machine gun of the USCM corps and primarily used during operations in civilian areas. Standard clip size was 48 rounds per magazine, although it could be upgraded with a High-Capacity Magazine, increasing the number of rounds to 70. (A:CMVG)

143 M40 HEDP Grenade: A fragmentation grenade manufactured by Armat and used by the USCM corps. Loaded with Composition B15. Has a timed delay of three seconds after being armed and a blast radius of 2 meters. Was used during the Origin incident in 2179 and the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in 2192. (A:CMVG, A:B1 – O)

M41A Pulse Rifle: A pulse rifle widely used during the end of the 22nd century and the beginning of the 23rd century. Became famous as the standard rifle of the USCM and the US Army at the time, but was also used by corporate strike forces and mercenaries. Manufactured by Armat. The weapon is resistant and easy to use, but has a tendency to jam when fully-loaded. The M41A combines a 10mm automatic assault rifle with a PN 30mm pump-action grenade launcher. As a pulse rifle, the M41A uses electronic pulse action to fire standard armor-penetrating US M309 rounds stored in an ammunition clip with a capacity of 99 bullets. The weapon has two firing modes, a four-round burst mode and a full automatic mode, in which the rifle can fire with a rate of 900 rounds per minute at a velocity of 840 meters per second. The rifle's battery can fire 10.000 rounds on a single charge. The grenade launcher is able to load a variety of different grenade ammunition types, the most commonly used being the M40 High Explosive fragmentation round. The M41A fires grenades with a velocity of 78 meters per second, at an effective range of 180 meters and a maximum range of 400 meters. Additional features include an LED ammo display, a retractable stock and an option to mount a scope. (A2, A3, A:INF, CMTM)

M41A Pulse Rifle Mk2: An upgrade of the famous M41A Pulse Rifle. Developed by Armat. The M41A Mark 2 was introduced shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179 and was used by both USCM marines and Weyland-Yutani PMCs as a primary weapon during the Origin incident later that year. Retaining its use of 10mm ammo, the Mk2 was a mid-range pulse rifle like its predecessor, but more powerful. The increase in damage was countered by a smaller clip size, reducing the number of rounds per magazine to 40, although it could be increased to 60 by an M5 Extended Magazine. The weapon also lacked the burst mode of the normal M41A. Additionally, the Mk2 was designed to be compatible with a wide range of upgrades and attachments. (A:CMVG)

M41-E Carbine: A fully automatic, electronic blowback-operated weapon used by the USCM in the 2190s. Similar in use to the landmark M41A Pulse Rifle. Weighs 4.8 kilograms and sports an effective range of 500 meters. Firing caseless 10mm bullets, the M41-E can be loaded with a 100- round antipersonnel magazine, a 100-round armor-piercing magazine or a 75-round rainbow tracer magazine. The firing rate was 700 rounds per minute, which translates to 11 rounds per second. Also features a 30mm, pump-action grenade launcher mounted under the barrel. The M41-E was a versatile and formidable weapon, able to punch through anything less than a Class-VII Spidersilk Armor. However, field use revealed some weaknesses: The effective reach was reduced by subpar sights, and the range of the grenade launcher was limited to 50 meters. The M41-E carbine was notable for being used during the training of Squad 1, Fox Platoon, Com- pany Able, 1st Extee Division, Second Colonial Marines, which was a group of combat androids created as part of a military project to create synthetics indistinguishable from humans in order to facilitate interaction with regular soldiers. When the squad was deployed as part of the Benedict's mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld, the M41-E was used by it as the primary firearms and saw action during the skirmish on the planet's surface. (A:B1 - O)

M4A3 Service Pistol: The standard sidearm of the USCM by the time of the Hadley's Hope and Origin incidents in 2179. Was introduced in 2119 and weighs less than one kilogram. Fires 9mm ammunition from a 12-round magazine and supports the more advanced M901 ammunition type in-

144 troduced in the 70s of the 22nd century. Has an effective range of 50 meters and a maximum range of 1500 meters. (A2, A:CMVG, CMTM)

M4RA Battle Rifle: A mid- to long-range rifle manufactured by Armat. A weapon used by the USCM corps, it saw action during the Origin incident in late 2179. The M4RA was designed for recon and sniper operations, dealing massive damage per round and featuring compatibility to a wide range of targeting attachments. With a slow firing speed and a limited clip size of 15 rounds loaded by a time-consuming bullpup mechanism, it was unfit for close-range combat. (A:CMVG)

M56A2 Smart Gun: The primary machine gun used by squads of the USCM by the time of the year 2179. Was used during the Hadley's Hope incident in the same year. Capable of firing its 10mm ammunition with a rate of 1700rpm over a range of 1500 meters. The gun itself is mounted on an articulation arm that is in turn connected to a harness worn by the operator. An infrared tracking system automatically directs the weapon over the arm to steer it to its target, while firing com- mences manually. However, the operator can choose to direct the M56 him- or herself at any time. The M56 is 122cm long and weighs almost 18kg when fully-loaded, harness included. The harness has a protected breastplate, under which a PRC 489/4 communications receiver/transmitter system and the tracking and targeting processor are stored. Connected to these systems is the Head Mounted Sight (short HMS) which relays its data over the systems and the articulation arm to the gun. A DV-9 Lithium battery powers the system for the duration of 50.000 fired rounds when fully charged. The gun is fired either by pulling the rear handling grip upwards or using the firing trigger. Firing options include Safe, Burst and Autofire settings, while the ammunition can be switched to either detonate on impact or with a delay, after penetrating the target's armor. (A2, A:INF, A:CMVG, CMTM)

M570: A military ground vehicle developed in the late 60s of the 22nd century. Used by the USCM corps and the predecessor of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier. Has also been used as the chassis for mobile weapon platforms, such as the M579. (CMTM)

M577 Armored Personnel Carrier: A lightweight 4×4 wheeled military ground vehicle used by the USCM corps in the late 22nd century. Designed to fulfill demands made in the Marine 70 strat- egy plan to create a cost-efficient vehicle for troop deployment via dropship. While considered to be a capable multi-role model, the restrictions in development made the M577 inferior to other APCs.

1. Layout

The M577 has a length of over 8,5 meters and weighs over 14 tons. The vehicle is operated by a crew of two soldiers, one being the driver and the other one being the section commander, and can transport up to 12 passengers, who are strapped into harnessed seats in the dedicated passenger compartment. The interior can be accessed through a starboard slide-door and the portside driver's hatch. A tactical operations center for the section commander is located at the rear of the vehicle. The M577 can be loaded with equipment for up to 5 days.

2. Sensors

Sensor coverage is provided by a 270-degree sensor cluster at the front searchlight. Further features include a turreted thermal imager, an optic sensor capable of providing footage with a magnification of up to 20x, an ultrasonic motion tracker and a weapon radar with a range of up to 3000 meters. Stealth capabilities consist of laser absorbents and infrared camouflage, while defense measures are

145 provided by jamming systems and a decoy launcher at the rear of the vehicle which is also able to release particulate smoke as a countermeasure against lasers.

3. Weapons

The weapon systems of the M577 are divided in two elements. The first one is two front-mounted Republic Dynamics Electric RE-700 20mm gatling guns equipped with a 1700-round feed and capable of handling various ammo types. The other element is a weapon turret that can be slid back to the rear side of the APC when entering narrow passages. The exact weapon type of the turret varies, the three main variants of the vehicles being the M577A, the M577A2 and the M577A3. (A2, A:INF, CMTM)

M577A: A variant of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier, which has its turret module equipped with two Boyas PARS 150 phased plasma cannons. The weapons are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell with a capacity for 1000 shots. Using Cadmium Telluride pellets, the projectiles are fired with a velocity of 5000 m/s and a cyclic fire rate of 40 rpm. Depending of atmospheric conditions, the range of the M577A is up to 4000 meters. (CMTM)

M577A2: A variant of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier outfitted with two Republic Dynamics M2025 free-electron lasers on its turret module. This configuration enables the M577A to attack both ground and air targets effectively. Given ideal atmospheric conditions, the M577A2 can fire over a maximum distance of 3000 meters. (CMTM)

M577A3: The most recent variant of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier by the year 2179, the M577A3 is equipped with a turret module sporting two charged particle beams. For the demands of this weapon type, the vehicle has been outfitted with a dedicated Martin Continental magnetohydrodynamic turbine which holds enough fuel capacity to fire 50 seconds on a single tankful. The range of the M577A3 is up to 4000 meters, depending on the atmospheric conditions. A M577A3 was used during the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. (A2, CMTM)

M579: A mobile air defense weapon platform used by the USCM in the second half of the 22nd century, consisting of a 20mm gatling gun mounted on a M570 chassis. Targeting data is provided by a multi-spectrum sensor system. (CMTM)

Ma, J.: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. Possessing a natural talent as a marksman, Ma killed 15 Xenomorphs without assistance. After escaping the destruction in orbit to the surface of LV-426, Ma was the first marine to encounter the Spitter subspecies of the Xenomorph, an encounter which proved to be fatal when Ma was killed by a long-range acid spit from such a creature. (A:CMVG)

MacArthur: A large military transport ship located at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. Equipped with a Gravity Drive. Unlike its sister ship, the Jackson, the MacArthur was un- armed. Lifeboats and most of the cryosleep chambers had been removed to make more space for cargo. When Spears decided to unleash his army of Xenomorph soldiers upon the infestation on Earth during the events of the Spears incident, the MacArthur was chosen as the primary transport vessel while the Jackson acted as Spears' command vessel, with the MacArthur's systems slaved to the Jackson. Shortly before the two ships took off, Wilks and Billie managed to enter the MacArthur as stowaways. The two entered cryosleep shortly before both ships entered Einsteinian Warp. When

146 the vessels returned to normal space in the Sol system, Wilks and Billie awoke and found the vessel to be sufficiently stocked with rations and equipped with sanitary installations. However, as the ship systems were partially linked with the Jackson, their presence did not go unnoticed. Eventually, Wilks and Billie jumped ships using EVA suits. Spears later was forced to enter the MacArthur to check the Xenomorph cargo for explosives Wilks had claimed to have planted there. However, the explosives did not actually exist as Wilks had merely mentioned them as part of a bluff to get himself and Billie off the Jackson. The MacArthur finally landed in the Natal region in South Africa, Earth, and unloaded its cargo. After Spears' campaign had met a sudden and disastrous end, the MacArthur was left abandoned at the landing site together with the Jackson. Its final fate is unknown. (A:B2 - NA)

Macaulay, M.: A male human and one of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. During the incident, Macaulay lost his whole team and was killed by Xenomorphs after his ammunition had run out during a last stand behind a piece of debris. (A:CMVG)

Madras: A city as well as a country in India. Both were renamed, but at least one had reverted back to its original name by the late 22nd century. In 2192, Pindar used a radar dish in Madras to hide his splicing into the Network for the Church of Immaculate Incubation. (A:B1 – O)

Madrid: The capital of Spain, Earth. Madrid was the location of one of the first Xenomorph nests eradicated by Orona's teams during the beginning of the Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Mag: A female human. During her youth at the beginning of the 2180s, Meg lived on the planet Ferro and was friends with Billie and another girl named Carly. (A:B1 – O)

Magruder, Jason S.: A male human and member of the USCM contingent at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. Ranked Private First Class at the time. During the incident, Magruder was part of a small group of marines who tried to escape Spears' reign of terror by fleeing to the terraformer colony. Upon arrival, however, they discovered that Spears had transformed the colony into an artificial Alien hive. Magruder and almost all of his comrades were immediately killed by the resident Drones. (A:B2 - NA)

Maio: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Maio managed to escape the destruction of the Sephora and the Sulaco and regroup at Hadley's Hope. During a stand-off at the colony against Xenomorph hordes, Maio got pinned down under a toppling piece of furniture, but was soon rescued by Corporal Winter. (A:CMVG)

Mala'kak: An enigmatic race of sentient beings. Possesses highly-advanced technology and is closely intertwined with the history of both the Xenomorphs and mankind. Indirectly responsible for numerous Xenomorph-related incidents, such as the Nostromo incident, the Hadley's Hope incident and the Origin incident.

1. Problem of classification

The description of the Mala'kak is highly problematic, as several lifeforms, each radically different to each other, have been associated with the distinct Mala'kak technology. The first kind encountered by mankind were beings dubbed Engineers during the LV-223 incident in 2093. These individuals sported a height of about three meters and looked very similar to normal humans, but were bald

147 and had a pale complexion and black eyes. These Engineers wore suits featuring a trunk-like appendage and sporting the bio-organic look of the Mala'kak technology. During the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in 2192, another distinct kind of being which would become associated with the Mala'kak moniker was encountered and referred to as a Collector. This individual was significantly larger than the Engineers, sporting a height of seven or eight meters. While it had a roughly humanoid shape, it was far bulkier and alien-looking. Prominent features were an elephant- like trunk, a small tail and void eyes with cross-shaped pupils. Reports also indicate that it had limited telepathic abilities. This being hovered several centimeters over the ground and wore a more conventional-looking full-body suit. The link connecting both species was the use of a common technology, mainly represented by the distinct organic-looking, U-shaped spacecrafts they used, such as the Juggernaut encountered during the LV-223 incident. These vessels would become some sort of symbol for the mysterious extraterrestrials. These contradictions raise the question of what the Mala'kak truly are. One possibility would be that they are a conglomerate of several different species. This theory would be supported by the varying interests of the parties. While the Engineers, as their name suggests, were involved with creating and modifying life on a massive scale, even possibly being responsible for the creation of mankind, the Collectors seemed to be more aggressive, bent on conquering worlds for themselves. Another distinct characteristic of the Collector subspecies was the hatred for the Xenomorphs. This, again, would be contradictory to the hypothesis that the Xenomorphs were created by the Mala'kak in the first place, as suggested by the Deacon specimen born in the aftermath of the LV-223 incident. An- other explanation for the multitude of subspecies would be divergent evolution, meaning that the Engineers and Mala'kak shared common ancestors, but evolved into different lifeforms in the distant past.

2. Technology

As mentioned above, the technology associated with the Mala'kak plays an important role in understanding them, as it is the common characteristic in all encounters with mankind. Mala'kak technology has a distinct bio-organic look to it, as evidenced by their iconic spacecrafts such as the Jugger- nauts or the biosuits of the Engineers. It should be noted that this appearance has an eerie similarity to the appearance of the Xenomorph organism. Despite this, there is no evidence to date that the Mala'kak technology actually has organic components. Another interesting and confusing aspect is that the Collector encountered during the Benedict mission in 2192 wore a spacesuit with a much more bulky and conventional design, lending further credence to speculations that the two subspecies might have developed in staggeringly different directions. Mala'kak tech, in general, is highly advanced, surpassing the technology of mankind by far. Engi- neers are known to have possessed the means for interstellar travel while life on Earth was still in a prehistoric, possibly even primordial state. At this time, they also have already gained an understanding of biochemistry sophisticated enough to create compounds used to artificially accelerate evolution. The LV-223 incident also revealed that the Engineers had obtained means for terraforming 2000 years before humanity would be able to create its first prototype of this technology. Events during the Earth War crisis even showed that such terraforming technology could be mounted on a ship to terraform a planet from orbit. Other achievements present at this time include powerful holographic systems, cryosleep chambers and sound-controlled devices. The encounter with the Collector also revealed that it wielded devastating energy weapons. The discovery of Mala'kak facilities on LV-1201 also indicates that the race had mastered an advanced form of geo- thermal power.

148 3. History I: Early existence and the LV-223 incident

As virtually all other facets of the Mala'kak, its history is shrouded in mystery. There is evidence suggesting that the Mala'kak have existed since 3.2 billion years BC, when it ruled over a galaxy- wide empire. It might have been during that era that Engineers planted the seeds of life on Earth. The same sources indicate that around 1.6 billion years BC, the race virtually went extinct due to a massive Xenomorph infestation. It is possible that it was during this period of genocide that at least two Collector vessels carrying Xenomorph eggs crashed on LV-426 and Rim, respectively, but there is no certain way to date these events, despite their importance. Roughly around the year 0 BC, an unknown event caused the Engineers to mount a mission to exterminate the human race, using a chemical compound which would become known as Black Goo. Preparations were undertaken on an Engineer weapon world later designated LV-223, but shortly before launching, an accident unleashed the weapon, killing almost all Engineers involved and putting a hold on the mission. Only one individual escaped the contamination and entered cryosleep aboard a landed Juggernaut vessel. The LV-223 incident in 2093 marked the first contact between mankind and the Mala'kak. Follow- ing pointers hidden in artifacts from humanity's ancient history, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and Dr. Charles Holloway led an expedition to LV-223 aboard the science vessel Prometheus, which was financed by Weyland Industries. After arrival, the team discovered the remnants of the 2000-year old failed Engineer mission to wipe out mankind. The events quickly escalated when Peter Weyland, who had secretly accompanied the mission, awakened the last surviving Engineer. The being killed the majority of the hazard team and prepared to launch the vessel in order to complete the original mission. The ship was destroyed before it could leave atmosphere, but at a high cost: All hands except for Shaw and a David 8 android were lost. Subsequently, the survivors departed for the Engineer homeworld.

4. History II: Dealings with Loki and role during Earth War

The next contact between the two species took place when unidentified representatives of the Mala'kak collective took up secret negotiations with mankind to ensure the coexistence of both species. For this purpose, Earth's government founded the clandestine Loki organization. However, during the following years, the relationship was expanded to more sinister dealings and transactions. When Earth requested a bio-weapon to fight political uprisings, the Mala'kak provided the location of the Derelict on LV-426 and its cargo of Xenomorph eggs. Earth inserted an android agent named Ash into the crew of the cargo hauler Nostromo to divert the ship's course and secure a Xenomorph specimen. This would lead to the Nostromo incident in 2122, mankind's first major encounter with the Xenomorph and the first one to involve Ellen Ripley. Mankind's first encounter with the Collector variant of the Mala'kak was during the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in 2192. After the mission on the surface had turned sour and the survivors had holed up inside an APC lander, a lone Collector appeared and single-handedly killed the Xenomorphs attacking the vessel. The being established contact with one of the survivors, a woman named Billie, and communicated its deep hatred for the Xenomorphs. When news of the Earth War reached the group, the survivor traveled back to Earth together with the Mala'kak, hoping to have found a powerful ally who could turn the tide against the Xenomorph infestation on the planet. However, as Billie and other survivors left Earth together with the last remnants of the human military, the being contacted Billie again, revealing its true intentions, which were not to help mankind, but to terraform the planet from space and wait until either humans or Xenomorphs have prevailed and then take the world for its own kind. In the late 24th century, the Mala'kak became afflicted with infertility. Thinking that the Xenomorph organism would hold the biological key to combat this infertility, the Mala'kak contacted Loki to

149 have it provide human hosts to breed Xenomorphs for research, as they were unwilling to harm its own kind by impregnation from the detested creatures. For this, Loki chose the Domes Epsilon space station, a remote installation for the preservation of plant species. Provided with specially engineered Xenomorphs, the organization commenced the infestation of Domes Epsilon and its personnel in the late 2380s. The infestation quickly consumed the station, but the operation was ultimately foiled by Ripley 8, Annalee Call and a rag-tag group of smugglers and mercenaries. How- ever, the Mala'kak have proven to be a malevolent and powerful force and will continue to be in the future.

Mantis Alien: A Xenomorph breed originating from a mantis-like creature. The most prominent anatomical feature of this subspecies are its two large grasping forelegs it used to get hold of its victims. (KAF)

Marachuk, John L.: A male human and a lower-echelon colonist living at Hadley's Hope in 2179. During the Xenomorph outbreak that eventually wiped out the colony's population, Marachuk was impregnated by a Facehugger and subsequently brought to the medical facilities in order to remove the parasite. While the Facehugger could be removed before implantation, Marachuk was killed during the operation. (A2)

Marcus, Friedric: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Rook”. According to the official files, Marcus was born in the beginning of the 2150s and served the corps as a marine gunner, but almost nothing else is known about him among his comrades. He combines an extremely high, almost super-human skill level with a friendly, but introverted behavior. This has led to his reputation of seeming almost... inhuman. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Marcus was ranked Chief Warrant Officer. During an engagement on the Sulaco, Marcus became separated from his team, but later joined up with Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Marksmanship Badge: A USCM medal awarded for excellence in the field of sniping. (A:B1 – O)

Marla: A female human. Had a brother named Chad. Got married to Patrick Massey in 2186 and gave birth to a son in the same year. Marla and her son were killed by Massey in 2192 when they were accidentally exposed to information about the Xenomorph during Massey's preparation for Operation Outreach. (A:B1 – O)

Mars: The fourth planet of the Sol system. Named after the Greek god of war. Terraformed between 2032 and 2040. The first colony on Mars, Valles Colony, was founded in 2040, followed by Leo colony in 2041. By the year 2071, the planet was home to almost 40 million colonists. Mars became known for its weapon research facilities and advanced Atmosphere Processors. Weyland Industries had offices on Mars, also serving as Peter Weyland's temporary residence in 2091, shortly before he would secretly join the clandestine mission of the research vessel Prometheus. In 2179, the Sulaco incident found its end near Mars. (PR, PR:WIW, A:INF)

Marshall, Tobin A.: A male human working as a spy for the Planetus Corporation during the early thirties of the 23rd century. When Planetus began to get strange readings originating from a Wey- land-Yutani research station on the planet C-3 L/M owned by both corporations, Marshall was inserted into the facility, tasked with finding the origin of the readings. For this mission, a visual recording device was surgically implanted in one of his eyes.

150 After his arrival, Marshall soon learned of a new terraformer prototype being tested near the station. He made several attempts to get to the prototype, only to discover that the device had been removed, if it ever existed at all. Meanwhile, the staff of the station was gradually reassigned and replaced with inexperienced personnel under dubious circumstances. In the end, only Marshall and a LaFargue synth remained, who revealed himself to Marshall as being a second spy from Planetus. Marshall remained suspicious of the synth, but before he could devise a plan to conclude his mission and escape, a Weyland-Yutani strike force led by Charles Braley raided the facility and captured Marshall and the synth. During the interrogation that followed, Braley revealed that Weyland- Yutani had been aware of the existence of a spy for some time and had reassigned the staff after a background check until only he and the LaFargue synth remained as suspects. Braley proceeded to kill both of them, inserting a robotic Chestburster into Marshall in order to fake an Alien infestation for his master plan to take over Planetus. However, in 2232, Marshall's recordings were retrieved by Anders Kramm during his investigation of the incident and revealed the truth behind the events. (A:NE)

Mary: A female human and the wife of James T. Likowski. During the 2120s, Mary stayed behind on Earth when her husband left Earth aboard the Bionational cargo ship Junket. Her husband would never return to her and was eventually declared missing. Further details about Mary's life afterward are unknown. (A:B1 – O)

Massey, Patrick: A male human. Highly capable, but also a ruthless sociopath. Led Bionational's Operation Outreach, which aimed to intercept a government expedition to the Xenomorph Home- world during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192.

1. Early life

Massey first exhibited his sociopathic tendencies when he killed his parents at the age of nine. However, unknown circumstances made sure that the incident didn't have a negative impact on his future. Massey's early career was marked by an astonishing amount of achievements. After getting his MBA at New Harvard, he earned a doctorate in corporate law at Cornell, followed by a job at Mitsubishi U. It was then that his pathological affinity for violence showed when he abandoned this promising profession and instead enlisted in the USCM corp. However, he also excelled in his military career. During his service, Massey earned four Purple Hearts and participated in the Oil Wars campaign, where he was awarded the Silver Star. During the Tansu Rebellion on Wakahashi's World, he led a recon unit, for which he also earned numerous commendations. However, Massey's penchant for killing would eventually put a stop to military ambitions: During a mission in 2186, Massey's commanding officer refused to attack a group of civilians Massey took for possible enemy sympathizers. Massey knocked his superior unconscious and gave the squad the order to attack. During the massacre, 85 men, women and children were killed, and according to un- substantiated reports, Massey himself slaughtered half of them. Massey now faced a court martial, but his talents had come to the attention of a private corporation named Bionational, which bought off the tribunal and hired Massey as a problem-fixer. As cover, Massey entered a marriage with a woman and fathered a son. As a precaution, Bionational injected a C9 capsule into Massey during a routine physical exam. However, Massey, who was aware of the implant, had it secretly removed and planet it onto an unsuspecting Bionational observer who had followed him during a vacation in the Amazon Preserve.

151 2. Prelude to Outreach

In 2192, after Massey had successfully “negotiated” a merger with Climate Systems for Biona- tional, he was assigned to lead a special mission dubbed “Operation Outreach”, which aimed to intercept a government expedition to the Xenomorph Homeworld and thwart its efforts while obtaining an Alien specimen for Bionational. During preparations, sensible data regarding the Xenomorph accidentally ended up on Massey's terminal where it was found by his son, who then informed his mother about the find. While it was standard operating procedure to eliminate any outsider who got exposed to such an information leak, Massey took it upon himself to kill his wife and son with his own hands. Bionational stepped in and made sure than the murders were chalked up to a breaking and entering gone wrong. Afterward, Massey also disposed of the communications tech responsible for the leak.

3. Intercepting the Benedict

On April 5, 2192, Operation Outreach was finally initiated. Massey and his team departed aboard the Bionational vessel K-014 and started pursuit of the Benedict, During the voyage, Colonel Stephens, the mission's commander, who secretly worked for Bionational, fed Massey intelligence about the situation aboard. In orbit of the Xenomorph Homeworld, Massey made his move. He and his team of mercenaries landed aboard the Benedict and captured the entire crew – save for a civilian woman named Billie. For this part of the operation, Massey chose an old 10mm recoilless Smith pistol as his firearm. After killing Stephens, whom he considered a liability, Massey now ordered his men to land on the planet and use the Benedict's marines to catch a Xenomorph specimen. Massey himself chose to supervise the mission from the vessel. However, he was confronted by Bil- lie who had gone into hiding and armed herself. After a short fight, Massey was shot by Billie. (A:B1 - O)

Matzke: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Matzke survived the destruction in orbit of LV-426 and later participated in the final assault against the Weyland-Yutani research facility. (A:CMVG)

Maury: A staff member of Third Base who was killed by Xenomorphs when Spears reclaimed the facility during the Spears incident in 2193. (A:B2 - NA)

Maxwell: A member of the Third Base staff during the Spears incident in 2193. After the arrival of the American, Maxwell and another member named Dowling were ordered by Spears to check the ship's cargo hold for anything worth salvaging. (A:B2 - NA)

May Outpost: A military outpost found in 2071 on the planet KOI-610.01. Notable for being one of humanity's major military presences in colonized space by the latter half of the 21st century, sporting a population of just under one million by 2071. Aside from military use, May Outpost's industry focused on electronics. Key resources were magnesium, lithium and oxygen. (PR:WIW)

Mbutu: A female-type android who was part of a military project to create combat androids indistinguishable from humans in order to facilitate integration into USCM service with regular soldiers. In 2191, Mbutu and her “siblings” entered military training and were designated First Squad, Fox Platoon, Company Able, 1st Extee Division, Second Colonial Marines.

152 In 2192, Mbutu and her squad were selected to participate in the Benedict mission. During a skirmish on the Xenomorph Homeworld, Mbutu was severely injured. A comrade named Bueller shot her to end her suffering. (A:B1 – O)

McManna, Corin: A male human and a pilot working for Weyland Industries. Inhibiting the rank of Captain as of 2072, McManna had flown hundreds of missions aboard Weyland Industries' first FTL-capable vessel, the Heliades class. McManna also participated in the development of the successor of the Heliades, the Prometheus-class space exploration vessel, as part of the test flight crew. (PR:WIW)

MedPod: A fully-automated medical diagnosis and surgical station. (PR:WIW)

Medpod 720i: The first commercially available MedPod. Developed by Weyland Industries and manufactured by Pauling. Weyland Industries patented the Medpod 720i under the file number 16,572,092 on September 2, 2061, and the device entered production after the FDA had approved the MedPod in 2070. By 2091, about a dozen Medpod 720is had been produced and deployed for field testing. A Medpod 720i was also installed aboard the Prometheus during the LV-223 incident in 2093. The Medpod 720i was designed to automatically diagnose and treat a variety of physical conditions, ranging from detecting infections and administering concentrated antibiotics to basic treatment of injuries to advanced operations such as appendectomies, laparoscopic ablations and Caesarian sections. Directions were given over a voice input system. The device was mounted on an adjustable titanium base and had an operating table equipped with an airtight operating shield as its central element. An arch structure mounted over the table housed vital sign sensors. Integrated medical devices included computer-controlled robotic arms, a laser scalpel system directed by a 3D anatomical scanner and a liquid spray anesthetic. If necessary, the patient could be fixated with comfortable limb restraints. A major drawback of the MedPod 70i was the fact that it had to be calibrated to a specific gender and the automatic systems would not comply with a gender the device was not set up for. However, one was able to override the gender setting by specifying the request in a gender- neutral manner. (PR, PR:PM, PR:WIW)

Mechtech: An android manufacturer in business during the 23rd century. Famous for its “friendly faces” line. (A:NE)

MEDiCS: Abbreviation for Mobile External Diagnostic Center. Describes a medical diagnostic device developed by Weyland Industries for use in public places and civilian environments. The MEDiCS system was integrated into a breastplate that, once placed onto the patient, would perform a medical analysis of the wearer by detecting and classifying external damage and taking blood samples. Results were returned within minutes and were readily available for arriving medics for display and to be transmitted to a hospital. Weyland Industries stated that their model for adults had saved millions of lives by the 2070s. (PR:WIW)

Meredith Dragic Memorial Cybernetics: A cybernetics facility in December Outpost on the planet KOI-701.03. (PR:WIW)

Meridian, Sheila: A female human working for Weyland Industries as a citizen relations councilor. A statement by Meridian was included in the press announcement for the partnership between Wey- land Industries and Internet Explorer released on May 14, 2075. (PR:WIW)

153 MI-7: A branch of human intelligence service active during the late 22nd century. In 2192, Wilks used the services of a programmer working in MI-7 to obtain classified information regarding Feild- crest Home in order to rescue Billie from the facility. (A:B1 - O)

Michaels, Stewart: A male human responsible for genetic manipulation and botanics at a Weyland- Yutani research outpost on the planet C-3 L/M in the early thirties of the 23rd century. As the Com- pany undertook efforts to root out a spy on the outpost, Michaels was reassigned and replaced by Thomas Hora after a background check had cleared him. (A:NE)

MILCOM: An abbreviation for human military command. (A:B1 – O)

Military Alliance: A temporary ruling body formed of all noteworthy military governments during the Earth War in the 2190s. This alliance came into being after the military had already staged a coup d'état against the civilian governments in order to bring a swift end to the Xenomorph infestation on Earth. With the inception of the Military Alliance, the already ruthless methods of protecting mankind from the Alien became even more severe. Abandoning containment efforts and instead re- sorting to establishing, maintaining and protecting safe zones, the alliance invoked martial law, overruling civil rights up to a point where civilians could be shot on the mere pretense of suspecting an infection. However, all these efforts could not stop the downfall of Earth, and in 2193, the Mili- tary Alliance was forced to evacuate its key personnel from the planet. (A:B1 – O)

Millburn: A male human and a biologist who was part of the Prometheus mission in 2093. Had an outgoing, carefree character. When Millburn was briefed about the mission objective after the Prometheus had reached LV-223, he was initially skeptic of the notion that extraterrestrial beings may have influenced the evolution of life. Millburn was among the first scouting party that explored the pyramid found on the moon's surface. After the team had found the remnants of a decapitated Engineer, Millburn quickly grew disturbed and took the opportunity to prematurely return to the Prometheus together with the geologist Fifield. However, the two scientists got lost on their way back and were forced to remain in the facility overnight due to a storm raging over the site. During their further exploration, Millburn and Fifield discovered more dead Engineers and the remnants of skin shed by a Hammerpede. Eventu- ally, they ended up back in the room where the team had found the Black Goo Ampules. There, they encountered two Hammerpede creatures. In a fatal lapse of judgment, Millburn approached one of the creatures, only to be attacked by it. After wrapping around his arm, the Hammerpede broke the biologist's arm, creating a hole in his suit through which the creature entered Millburn's mouth, suffocating him in the process. (PR)

Miller: A male human and a Weyland-Yutani geneticist assigned to supervise research on the Queen specimen at the Origin facility on LV-426. Miller had extensive experience with the Xenomorph and exercised extreme caution, ordering his team to arm the gas dispenser in the creature's containment chamber with C-284, a nerve gas potent enough to kill the Queen, and use it at the slightest hint of a problem. Michael Weyland, furious about Miller unnecessarily endangering the Queen, ordered to replace the gas with the far weaker C-95. Miller was fired, and, given his assignment, it is highly unlikely that he survived his insubordination. (A:CMVG)

MK221 Tactical Shotgun: A shotgun model manufactured by Weyland-Yutani. Used by Wey-Yu PMCs during the Origin incident in 2179. The MK221 is a self-loading shotgun with a semi-automatic firing. Is coated in a heat-resistant alloy that compensated for the temperature increase during repeated firing in quick succession. Has a standard clip size of 8 rounds. (A:CMVG)

154 Model 244-2 Diagnoster: A medical diagnostic unit manufactured by Hyperdyne Systems. During the 2190s, the Model 244-2 was among the most advanced units of its kind. Bionational operated at least one such Diagnoster in its Houston facility, where it was used during the medical supervision of James T. Likowski in 2192. The Model 244-2 was equipped with a couch where the patient could lay down and, if necessary, be restrained with an integrated pressure field. The unit was capable of measuring a patient's EEG, ECG, myotonous level, basal metabolic rate, systems mitosis rate and full blood counts, as well as blood pressure, respiration and pulse rate. The Diagnoster was also able to regularly check and adjust a patient's body temperature. (A:B1 – O)

Module 8.0: A module in the David 8 section of the Weyland Industries company website. Contains a general introduction to the David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Module 8.1: A module in the David 8 section of the Weyland Industries company website. Contains an overview of the emotional capabilities of the David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Module 8.2: A module in the David 8 section of the Weyland Industries company website. Contains a presentation for the T.I.P.E. Concept detailing the various capabilities of the David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Module 8.3: A module in the David 8 section of the Weyland Industries company website. Contains a photo gallery of the David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Module 8.4: A module in the David 8 section of the Weyland Industries company website. Contains detailed technical specifications for the David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Mona: A female human and mother of Amy. Born during the second half of the 22nd century. When the Xenomorphs infested Earth on a global scale in the 2190s, Mona formed a group with her daughter Amy, an elder man named Burt and other survivors. Mona was eventually killed under unknown circumstances. (A:B2 - NA)

Monster Maze: A game played by the children living at the Hadley's Hope colony on LV-426 before the Xenomorph outbreak in 2179. The exact rules of the game are not known, but it involved traversing the colony's ventilation duct system. The parents strictly forbade their children to play this game, but of course, they secretly did anyway. The best Monster Maze player was Rebecca Jor- den because she was so small that she could fit into places the other bigger kids couldn't, which earned her the ire of some of the other players. Because of Monster Maze, the children all had good knowledge of the duct system and the colony layout. This knowledge, combined with her small size, would later prove to be vital for Rebecca Jorden, the only survivor of the Xenomorph outbreak, to navigate the colony for supplies and elude the Aliens roaming Hadley's Hope. (A2, A:NE)

Montgomery, A.: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. Montgomery managed to escape the destruction in orbit and regroup at Hadley's Hope. When his squad encountered a Xenomorph in the colony's bar, Montgomery tried to kill the creature with a makeshift flamethrower consisting of a bottle of whiskey and a lighter. He presumably did not survive his overconfidence. (A:CMVG)

155 Moore, M.: One of the USCM soldiers dispatched aboard the second mission of the USS Sephora to the Sulaco, which would result in the Origin incident. Ranking Private First Class at the time, Moore had the dubious honor to be the first marine killed by Xenomorphs during the incident. (A:CMVG)

Mooses, A.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. (A:CMVG)

Morrison, Susan: A female human and the captain of an ill-fated deep space exploration mission in the Gliese system. In 2043, Morrison Outpost on Gliese 667 cc would be named in honor of her. (PR:WIW)

Morales, K.: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in 2179. Ranking Private First Class at the time, Morales died during the USCM foray into the Sulaco. It was his first mission as a Colonial Marine. (A:CMVG)

Morgan: A human and a therapist who provided counseling to Thomas Culp, one of the individuals afflicted with Xenomorph-related nightmares during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192. The log of this interview reached the hands of Dr. Orona, a GENstaff affiliate specialized in Xenomorph biology. (A:B1 – O)

Morris, Joshua: A male human working for Weyland-Yutani. In 2179, Morris acted as foreman during the construction of the Wey-Yu research facility at the Derelict on LV-426. During the construction, Morris faced several difficulties. When an underground tunnel was to be excavated to serve as a cargo passageway between the landing pads and the compound modules, the teams stumbled on a large cave system containing a Xenomorph hive. As explosions to seal the tunnel were sparse and time was running out, Morris ordered to put a surveillance team to watch the tunnel entrance for the time being. Despite misgivings from at least one colleague, Morris stuck to his decision. Later, another tunnel was constructed to lure the Queen into a containment module, but Morris also had to put these plans on hold, due to a distinct lack of volunteers. Morris additionally struggled both with a tight budget and the planet's geographic instability, forcing him to give up several research modules. In communications with his superiors, Morris openly voiced his misgivings, but he nevertheless completed his task and was paid handsomely enough to set aside his apprehension about the dangers of harvesting the Xenomorph eggs. (A:CMVG)

Morrison Outpost: A mining colony founded in 2071 on Gliese 667 cc to exploit the planet's uranium, zinc and nickel reserves. Boasted a population of 2,3 million by the year 2071. Named after Captain Susan Morrison, who had commandeered a lost deep space exploration mission to the Gliese system. (PR:WIW)

Morse, Robert: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident taking place in 2179. Had a cynical character and sported many gold teeth as a trademark. Was a firm be- liever in the cult that had formed among the inmates during the years preceding the Fury 16 incident and the only friend of Golic. When Ripley was salvaged from the crashed EEV and brought to the penal colony, Morse reacted with resentment to the news, invoking his vow of celibacy. Even as the Xenomorph threat became known, he blamed Ripley for bringing the creature to them and at first refused to help. He later made the mistake of releasing Golic from the infirmary, inadvertently causing the Alien to be freed by his insane friend. Although he would have preferred to dig in and wait for the Weyland-Yutani

156 team to arrive and finish off the Xenomorph, he eventually became the first one who agreed to participate in Dillon's and Ripley's plan to trap the Alien in the blast furnace. By this time, Morse had come to terms with Ripley and grown to respect her for her determination to prevent the Alien from killing more of the prisoners. Even though he was injured by a gunshot from one of the Weyland- Yutani soldiers, he was able to bring the catwalk in place for Ripley to let herself fall into the furnace and kill off the Queen embryo with her. Morse was the only survivor of the incident after which he was presumably relocated to another prison. Some time after the incident, Morse wrote down an account of the incident and distributed it in an unknown quantity. Although his account was officially banned, copies of the text still existed in the 24th century. (A2)

Moscow: The capital of Russia, Earth. Moscow was the location of a Xenomorph nest eradicated by Orona's special forces during the first months of the Earth War in the 2190s. (A:B1 – O)

MOTHER: A nickname resulting from the phonetic spelling of the MU-TH-UR computer technology. (PR, A1)

Motion Tracker: A piece of equipment used to detect moving objects in the vicinity. Usually a high-powered ultra-sound scanner using doppler-shift discrimination to distinguish moving elements from stationary ones. The range of a motion tracker can vary from up to 20 meters on handheld devices to up to 1000 meters on perimeter-mounted trackers. The method of feedback also varies, from a simple sound-based system to computer displays delivering detailed information about the position and movement of an object. As motion trackers are vulnerable to environmental interference and countermeasure signals, they often are supporting more advanced and fool-proof sensor systems. Handheld motion trackers were used both during the Nostromo and the Hadley's Hope incidents. (A1, A2, A:CMTM, A:INF)

Motorized Cycling System: A weapons modification for the MK221 Tactical Shotgun, upgrading the weapon to fully-automatic firing by adding a motor-assisted loading mechanism. (A:CMVG)

Murakami: A male human and the administrator of the botanic space colony Domes Gamma in the mid-80s of the 24th century. (A:OS)

Murphy: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Spent most of his early life on the run from the law. Owned a dog which always followed Murphy around. Murphy often volunteered for assignments in order to shorten his limited term and was also one of the prisoners who helped transferring the wreckage of Ripley EEV to the prison's scrapyard. Mean- while, his dog was attacked and impregnated by the Facehugger hiding in the remains of the EEV. Later, Murphy became the first victim of the Xenomorph when he accidentally stumbled upon the creature while cleaning a ventilation shaft. (A3)

MU-TH-UR: A term referring to a range of computer technologies. Early MU-TH-UR technology was incorporated in scientific analysis equipment aboard the research vessel Prometheus during its mission to LV-223 in 2093. A full-fledged MU-TH-UR computer mainframe was installed on the Nostromo during the second decade of the 22nd century, tasked with supervising the ship's functions and maintaining operation on long-range travel in absence of the crew during hypersleep. The mainframe was accessed by a terminal chamber equipped with a voice-input system and a visual display, its use restricted to the chief officer. Further limited access was provided by a voice-interaction system on numerous locations throughout the ship. The female voice synthesizer of the system led to

157 its nickname MOTHER. MU-TH-UR was also linked to the Network in order to receive updated mission objectives. (PR, A1)

*** N ***

Narcissus: A modified Lockmart Starcub intrasystem shuttle attached to the Nostromo to serve as a lifeboat. During the Nostromo incident in 2122, the Narcissus was used to carry Ripley, the only survivor, to minimum safety distance after she had rigged the Nostromo to self-destruct in order to kill the Xenomorph that had slaughtered her crew mates. However, the creature had managed to escape as a stowaway aboard the shuttle, and Ripley was forced to blow the Xenomorph out of the ship's airlock. Subsequently, Ripley set course to the core systems, where she hoped that her beacon would be picked up by another ship, and entered hypersleep. However, the beacon failed only two years later, and it was not until 2179 that the Narcissus would be found by a deep space salvage crew. (A1, A2, A:CMTM)

NAFE: Abbreviation for National Association for Female Executives. NAFE selected Weyland In- dustries for a place among the Top 50 of companies for executive women in a publication that was released on August 1, 2055. (PR:WIW)

Nanopuke: A highly advanced personnel armor technology in development during the late 22nd century. Nanopuke provided better protection than even Spider-silk while being thinner than a coat of paint, lending it a translucent appearance. Development of the technology was interrupted by the beginning of the Earth War. The status of the project is currently unknown. (A:B2 - NA)

Natal province: A province in South Africa, Earth. Known for being the site of a major battle between British and Zulu forces in the late 19th century. In 2193, Spears chose the Natal province as a landing site for his Xenomorph army due to its significance as a historical battlefield.

Nelson, C.: A male human and an USCM Corporal involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Managed to lead his quad through several engagements aboard the Sulaco despite taking multiple hits. After bringing his marines safely down to the surface of LV-426, Nelson succumbed to his injuries. (A:CMVG)

Neroid: A remote sector in space. Fiorina 161, the site of the Fury 16 incident, was located in the Neroid sector. (A3)

Network: A galaxy-wide data network used by humanity during the 22nd century.

New Chicago: A city in the USA on Earth. Was notable for being the location where Orona's teams found the first cultist to turn up again after vanishing following the attack on the Bionational facility in Lima. The team was too late, however, as the cultist, who had been impregnated during the attack in Lima, had already given birth to the embryo. The Chestburster itself had also vanished by the time the team found the corpse in the city. Some time later, Orona's forces successfully eradicated a Xenomorph nest in New Chicago during the beginning of the Earth War. (A:B1 – O)

New Chile: A country in South America. In 2192, members of the Church of Immaculate Incuba- tion reportedly took over a ranch in New Chile after their attack on the Bionational facility in Lima. (A:B1 – O)

158 New Colonial Marines: The moniker General Spears used for his army of seemingly conditioned Xenomorph Drones. Each Drone was assigned a unique number which had been painted on its forehead with microencapsulated grains of tritium in an acidic solution. Divided into seven corps named after the color of the paint, such as the Greens. In 2193, Spears landed with the New Colo- nial Marines in the Natal province in South Africa, Earth, where he intended to lead his army in a glorious campaign against the Xenomorph infestation. However, the Xenomorphs quickly turned on Spears, killing him and then joining their kin. (A:B2 - NA)

New Earth Colony: A major human colony on HD 85512B. Founded in 2055 and sporting a population of over 14,5 million by 2071, New Earth Colony became known as one of the most densely populated off-world colonies of mankind. Its industry consisted of energy, transportation, tourism and mining. Key resources were niobium, europium, neodymium and copper. (PR:WIW)

New Products Testbed: The central testing facility for new technologies of Weyland Industries' electronics division during the 2070s. Situated in Henri Gaston Colony on the planet HD 202206 bm. (PR:WIW)

Newborn: A unique Alien/human hybrid encountered aboard the Auriga in 2381. About three meters in height, the Newborn had a pale brown skin, a face resembling that of a human skull and featuring eyes. It lacked the exoskeleton and a tail and had red blood. Having both male and female genitalia, the Newborn was a hermaphrodite. After the Queen had been freed from its holdings during the Xenomorph breakout, it settled inside an emptied cooling tank of the Auriga and established a new hive. Due to the human DNA in its genetic makeup, the Queen started to develop human reproductive organs and became pregnant through unknown means. During the last hour before the Auriga would crash onto Earth, the Queen gave birth to the Newborn, at a time when Ripley 8 was present in the hive. Rejecting its mother, the Newborn killed the Queen and instead developed an affection for Ripley 8. Knowing that the Auriga was about to be destroyed, Ripley 8 fled the hive and escaped aboard the Betty. However, the Newborn had managed to board the Betty as a stowaway before the impact. Ripley confronted the Newborn in the Betty's cargo hold and eventually killed it, using her acid blood to create a hole in the hull which sucked out the Newborn into vacuum piece by piece. (A:RES)

Newt: The nickname of Rebecca Jorden. See “Jorden, Rebecca”

Nexilis: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in an additional row of large acid sacs covering the top of their carapaces and a smaller row of additional sacs on the front. Another new aspect is a central row of prominent spikes on the carapace, with a particularly large one protruding from the front. (A:CMVG)

Night Cougar Alien: A Xenomorph subspecies originating from a large feline creature. This creature was similar to another breed called the Panther Alien, sharing its slender appearance and digigrade hind legs. However, it featured a lighter complexion. Also, the parasite situated on its back did not destroy itself on impact when it was launched at a target. (KAF)

Nightingale, Theodore: A male human and a geologist. Nightingale participated on the first exploration tour of the planet KOI-1686.01 in the first half of the 21st century. Nightingale was killed during this mission, and the colony founded on the planet in 2059 would be named Nightingale Colony in honor of the scientist. (PR:WIW)

159 Nightingale Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-1686.01. Established in 2059, it was named after Theodore Nightingale, a geologist who had died participating in the first exploration tour on the planet. By the year 2071, the colony would sport a population of almost 900,000, maintaining an industry focused on mining and refining. Key resources were helium-3, wolframite and gadolinium. (PR:WIW)

Nomrom Colony: A colony on KOI-2124.01. Established in 2052 west of the Clartes mountain range to take advantage of its natural protection against sandstorms. Sported a population of over 6,5 million by the year 2070. Nomrom Colony's industry focused on mining and refining. Key resources were yttrium, terbium, gold, manganese and silver. (PR:WIW)

Northrop Grumman: An aerospace and defense technology company. Weyland Industries acquired Northrop Grumman in 2032. (PR:WIW)

Norton, B.: A male human and one of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Lieutenant at this time. During the final assault on the Weyland-Yutani research base, Norton managed to lead his team to the FTL landing site, but he and his squad were killed when Norton's Smart Gun malfunctioned, creating an opening for the PMCs to take out the marines. (A:CMVG)

Nostromo: A class-M cargo hauling vessel in service of Weyland-Yutani in 2122. Named after the Joseph Conrad novel of the same name. Namesake and location of the Nostromo incident, mankind's first major contact with the Xenomorph species. Originally a Lockmart CM-88b Bison transporter that underwent modification in 2116 in order to accommodate its new task of hauling automated ore and oil refineries.

1. Specifications

Massing 63.000 metric tons in its updated configuration, the Nostromo was powered by Laretel WF- 15 fusion generator. Propulsion was provided by a Yutani T7A FTL drive (0.42 light years per sidereal day without attached cargo and 0.12 light years per sidereal day with attached cargo) and two Rolls-Royce N66 Cyclone thrusters for sublight speed, which replaced the original Saturn J-3000 drives as they were insufficient for heavy hauling duty. The interior consisted of three decks and four main cargo bays, with deck A housing the bridge, medical facilities, living areas and the hypersleep chamber, deck B providing equipment space and access to the emergency shuttle and deck C consisting of further equipment storage and maintenance access. While the crew was in hypersleep, the MOTHER mainframe monitored the automated systems. The Nostromo was operated by a crew of 7, with a minimum of 4 required for landing and take-off.

2. History

For the first four years of its tour, there was nothing of particular note about the crew of the ship or its assignments. However, in 2120, the command of the ship was given to Dallas, with the rest of the crew that would be involved in the pivotal Nostromo incident assembling over the following two years. In 2122, the Nostromo was on its way back to Earth from Thedus with a 20-million ton ore refinery when MOTHER picked up the alien signal emanating from LV-426. It woke the crew, and following proper protocol, the Nostromo was disattached from the refinery and landed on the surface of the planetoid in order to investigate. After the ship had been repaired from minor damage it had suffered during the landing, it returned into deep space. Before the Nostromo could resume its

160 journey home, a Xenomorph infestation took place aboard that wiped out the whole crew, save for Ellen Ripley, who set the ship on self-destruct and escaped in the Nostromo's emergency shuttle, the Narcissus. Subsequently, the Nostromo and the refinery was obliterated in the explosion. The Nos- tromo and its crew was later declared missing, and the truth about the ship's fate would not come out for another 57 years. In 2179, when Ripley's account revealed the Nostromo's destruction, the monetary value of the ship was estimated at 42 million dollars by the insurance agency involved in the investigation. (A1, A:CMTM)

Nostromo incident: The events surrounding and including the Xenomorph infestation aboard the spacecraft Nostromo in 2122, notable as the first major encounter of mankind with the organism.

1. Prelude

At an unknown date, but probably a year before the actual infestation, a black ops unit within mankind's government called Loki struck a secret deal with an ancient alien race called the Mala'kak. The Mala'kak were in desperate need of human hosts in order to combat their infertility using the Xenomorph organism. In exchange for giving up the human research colony on Bahgreb, the Mala'kak provided Loki with the coordinates of a place where they would find an ample supply of Xenomorph eggs for research and bio-weapon engineering: the derelict Mala'kak spacecraft on LV-426 in the Zeta II Reticuli system. Loki passed the information along to an influential ally, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which happened to have a ship scheduled for passing by Zeta II Retic- uli on their trip from Thedus back to Earth: the Nostromo. Weyland-Yutani acted quickly on their information: On June 12, 2121, on the day the Nostromo departed for Earth, the resident science officer of the crew was replaced by Ash, an android programmed to execute Special Order 937: to secure a Xenomorph specimen and bring it back to Earth at all costs. Of course, the rest of the crew was kept in the dark about both Ash's android identity and Special Order 937. Before the crew would enter hypersleep, Ash secretly reprogrammed the Nostromo's course to make sure that the ship's mainframe, MOTHER, would be able to pick up the signal of the Mala'kak derelict on LV- 426.

2. Landing on LV-426

On June 3, 2122, the Nostromo came in reach of the signal. Following official protocol, which commands investigation of an emergency signal, MOTHER brought the Nostromo back to sublight speed and woke up the crew from hypersleep. The Nostromo disattached from the ore refinery it had in tow and landed on LV-426, 2 kilometers south-west from the Derelict. Dallas, the captain of the Nostromo, assembled a team of three people that would go out and investigate the source of the signal, consisting of him, Lambert and Kane. Inside the Derelict, the team found the fossilized remains of the ship's pilot, whose chest section had been burst open. Kane went on to explore the lower region of the ship and found a cargo hold filled with hundreds of Xenomorph eggs. As Kane approached one of the eggs, the spore opened, and before Kane could react, a Facehugger sprang out and attached itself to Kane's face. Dallas and Lambert subsequently carried Kane back to the Nos- tromo and requested to be allowed entry. While Ripley refused on grounds of quarantine procedure, Ash went to the airlock and opened it to allow the crew (and the Xenomorph specimen) into the Nostromo. Kane was immediately brought to the ship's medical facilities, where Ash, acting on Dal- las' orders, made futile attempts to remove the Facehugger from Kane's face. In the following time span during which Kane was under Ash's medical observation, the android discovered the embryo that had been implanted by the Facehugger and was now gestating inside Kane, but kept the find a secret. Hours later, the Facehugger, having finished the impregnation process, disattached itself and

161 died. Assuming that all was well now, Dallas ordered the Nostromo to take off and resume its course back to Earth.

3. Xenomorph outbreak on the Nostromo

Before the crew could enter hypersleep, however, Kane died giving birth to a Chestburster. After an initial attempt to track down the creature had proved unsuccessful, a funeral was held for Kane and his body ejected to space. Armed with a makeshift motion tracker developed by Ash, the crew resumed its hunt for the Chestburster. In the meanwhile, the creature had transformed into the adult Xenomorph stage, and Brett, one of the mechanics of the Nostromo, became the first victim of the murderous creature. Now aware of the full extent of the threat, the crew devised a second plan: As the Xenomorph seemed to use the vent system to traverse the ship, it was decided to drive the creature out of the vent and directly into an airlock, where it could be safely ejected into space. This plan also failed, and Dallas was killed by the Xenomorph inside the vent system. The loss of the captain of the ship took its toll on the survivors, and Ripley, who was now in command, went to the mainframe chamber in order to interrogate MOTHER about Ash, whose inactivity she had grown suspicious of. MOTHER informed her about Special Order 937 and confirmed Ash's involvement in it. Ash subsequently made an attempt on Ripley's life, but was subdued by Parker who revealed Ash to be an android in the process. The crew now decided to rig the Nostromo for self-destruct and escape in the ship's emergency shuttle, the Narcissus. Parker and Lambert were attacked and killed by the Xenomorph during the preparations, leaving only Ripley, who managed to activate the self-destruct mechanism and escape aboard the Narcissus just in time before the Nostromo exploded. How- ever, the Xenomorph had managed to escape as a stowaway, and Ripley was forced to blow the creature out of the airlock of the shuttle. After the creature's demise, Ripley set course to the core systems and entered hypersleep. Two years later, the beacon of the Narcissus finally failed. The Nostromo was declared missing, and the fate of the ship and its crew would remain unknown for another 57 years, until the Narcissus and Ripley would be discovered by a deep space salvage crew in 2179. (A1, A:OS)

NSF: Abbreviation for National Science Foundation. The NSF placed severe restrictions on the commercial use of androids before it lifted these regulations on May 11, 2035, allowing Weyland Industries to release David 3, the first model of the David series commercially available. (PR:WIW)

NSG 23 Assault Rifle: A mid-range assault rifle manufactured by Weyland-Yutani. Was used as a primary weapon by Weyland-Yutani PMCs during the Origin incident in late 2179. Fires 7.62mm ammunition from 30-round clips and features a burst mode. Compared to other assault rifle models on the market at the time, the NSG 23 was significantly lighter, allowing for more controlled fire patterns. (A:CMVG)

“Nugget”: A nickname Lieutenant Jeremy Cruz gave Private Peter O'Neil during the Origin incident in late 2179. Cruz applied the nickname when he refused O'Neal's request to accompany Clari- son and Reid on their mission to set up a long-range signal after they had regrouped to Hadley's Hope Much to O'Neal's chagrin, it stuck. (A:CMVG)

Number 9: One of the Xenomorph Drones from General Spears army created to combat the Alien infestation on Earth. After landing on the planet during the final hours of the Spears incident, Num- ber 9 freed the Queen from its cage. (A:B2 -NA)

162 Number 15: One of the adult Xenomorphs from the army of Aliens General Thomas Spears had seemingly domesticated for use as soldiers. When Spears landed with his army to eradicate the Xenomorphs dominating Earth during the Spears incident in 2193, Number 15 was the first specimen to disobey Spears. Enraged, Spears killed Number 15, only to find himself facing his entire army, revealed to having been in control of the Queen all along. (A:B2 - NA)

Number 19: A Xenomorph Drone that was part of the Greens, a platoon in Spears' Alien Army. Spears personally branded this Drone shortly before the departure from Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. (A:B2 - NA)

Nylon: A male human and one of the untold numbers of survivors left behind on Xenomorph-infested Earth in the 2190s. Nicknamed due to his dark blue nylon windbreaker. In 2193, Nylon accompanied his friends Leather and Petey to a supposed “treasure site” where military food supplies had been reportedly located. Though skeptical, Nylon helped with digging. However, the site was a trap set up by Bug Feeders, who overwhelmed and captured the three. Amy and her uncle Burt were watching and recording the scene. The two were forced to flee from the scene, but the video reached Third Base, where Billie watched it during the Spears incident in 2193. (A:B2 - NA)

*** O ***

October Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-2469.01. Established in 2069, it would boast a population of 230,000 by 2071. The colony's agriculture industry quickly became one of the major food suppliers of the galaxy. Further industrial activities focused on mining. Key resources were helium- 3, gadolinium and praseodymium. (PR:WIW)

Olfactories: A technology used to enhance media broadcasts using signals that stimulate the olfac- tory senses. Used during the late 22nd century. (A:B1 – O)

Olympia Colony: A colony on the moon HD 39091 bm. Founded in 2052, Olympia Colony would sport a population of almost 11 million by 2071. Industrial sectors were terraforming, electronics and light manufacturing. Key resources were iron, zinc, aluminum, bornite and thulium. (PR:WIW)

Olympics: A world-wide annual sports event. On May 13, 2071, the International Olympic Com- mittee announced Weyland Industries to be Worldwide Olympic Partner and official “Cybernetics Company” for the Olympic Games through to 2091. (PR:WIW)

Omnitech: A corporation offering Sleeper facilities in the early 23rd century. By the year 2232, Om- nitech had been absorbed by Planetus. (A:NE)

O'Neal, Peter: A male human and a member of the USCM corps. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Earth on February 12, 2149. Was involved in the Origin incident in late 2179.

1. Entering USCM service

Recruited from his hometown in 2177, O'Neal proved to be exceptionally capable of handling firearms in combat situations. After initial training, O'Neal was assigned to O'Niell Station in 2178. In 2179, he was part of the marines stationed on the USS Sephora sent to investigate the reappear-

163 ance of the notorious USS Sulaco over LV-426, a mission which would culminate in the Origin incident.

2. Mission aboard the Sulaco

After arriving on site, O'Neal was part of team Rhino 2-1's recon mission to the USS Sulaco. When Rhino 2-1 fell victim to an attack by an unknown enemy, O'Neal was among the few survivors and proceeded to attend to his injured teammates after they had set up a retreat near the Sulaco's hangar bay. Against the orders of his commanding officer Lieutenant Jeremy Cruz, O'Neal bought fellow marines Winter and Keyes enough time to complete Rhino 2-3's original mission and retrieve the Sulaco's flight recorder. Subsequently, he also helped fighting off a Xenomorph onslaught to cover Winter's and Keyes' retreat back to the Sephora. However, the mission failed disastrously and resulted in the destruction of both the flight recorder and the Umbilical connecting the Sulaco to the Sephora. Winter and O'Neal, who had barely made it back inside the Sulaco, teamed up and proceeded to secure a cargo bay as an alternate landing zone. During the mission, the two were contacted by another marine from Rhino 2-3 named Bella Clarison, with whom O'Neal had had a sexual relation prior to the incident. When the Sulaco, which had been revealed to be in the control of Weyland-Yutani PMCs, began opening fire on the Sephora, O'Neal's and Winter's new mission was to disable the weapon systems of the ship. After picking up Bella from her hideout, the three regained control over the bridge, but were too late to stop the Sephora from being destroyed. How- ever, the Sulaco had been damaged beyond repair as well, and O'Neil, Winter and Clarison barely escaped to the surface of LV-426.

3. In the ruins of Hadley's Hope

After the crash landing, O'Neal and his comrades regrouped inside the ruins of Hadley's Hope. Cruz assigned Clarison and Lieutenant Reid the mission to establish a rallying signal over the local comm relay. Out of concern for Clarison, who had been revealed to be pregnant with an Alien embryo, O'Neal asked permission to join the mission, but Cruz denied the request and ordered him to help establish a perimeter instead. During an ensuing Xenomorph attack on the command center, contact to Clarison and Reid was lost, and O'Neal and Winter were sent to follow up on them. While traversing the sewers of the colony, O'Neal became separated from Winter. Searching for his lost teammate, O'Neal encountered a colony of deformed Xenomorphs nicknamed Boilers. Just as he began to suspect that Winter might have been dead, O'Neal was contacted by Winter, who had managed to escape from capture after being taken and cocooned by a Xenomorph. O'Neal, who had reached the elevator to the comm relay by then, guided Winter through the sewers and back to his tracker left by the elevator. While doing so, O'Neal was attacked by a monstrous Xenomorph nicknamed the Raven, but eventually managed to elude the creature and rejoin with Winter. Together, they caught up with Clarison and Reid on the surface and assisted them in completing their mission. On the way back to the command center, the group was attacked by Xenomorphs. During the ensuing battle, O'Neal got separated and barely escaped from the attacking Raven to a loading dock where he was eventually found by his teammates.

4. A tragic loss

After the Raven had been killed by Winter, the four marines returned to the command center where O'Neal and Winter requested permission to take Clarison to the nearby Weyland-Yutani research facility in order to remove the embryo from her. Cruz agreed under the condition that they would also retrieve a personnel manifest from the installation. Halfway to the medlab, O'Neal managed to re-

164 trieve the wanted manifest, but grew suspicious when he discovered a USCM soldier on the list. Shortly after, Cruz gave the order to rescue said marine from captivity, an order to which O'Neal only reluctantly complied. Upon arriving at the medlab, the three marines learned that Clarison was beyond saving as an extraction of the embryo was revealed to be impossible without killing the host. Shocked by the news, O'Neal tried to comfort Clarison, but had to witness her death while giving birth to the Xenomorph. Struck with grief and desperation, O'Neal decided to focus on the mission ahead. When it became necessary to deactivate the facility's security systems in order to proceed, O'Neal unleashed the creatures upon the Wey-Yu staff without hesitation. Amidst the chaos and mayhem, O'Neal and Winter reached the security module where the prisoner was held. O'Neal by now was convinced that Cruz had lied to them and that the retrieval of the captive had been the sole mission objective all along. Furious, O'Neal confronted Cruz at gunpoint after returning with the prisoner. Winter and Cruz managed to calm down O'Neal, and Cruz informed the two of the plan to use Hicks' intel to hijack a landed FTL-capable ship and evacuate all survivors from the Sephora with it.

5. The final assault on Weyland-Yutani

After fending off another Xenomorph attack on Hadley's Hope, Cruz convinced O'Neal to cooperate, promising that Weyland-Yutani would not escape the consequences of its actions. O'Neal participated in the final assault on the Weyland-Yutani facility and assisted in taking down a series of anti-air guns in order to prevent the Company from transferring the Queen to the FTL ship. O'Neal and his comrades arrived at the landing site, only to witness the vessel launching seconds before they would have been able to reach it. After crash-landing inside the frigate while still in atmosphere and surviving a dramatic encounter with the Queen, O'Neal, Winter and their comrades proceeded to confront Michael Weyland inside his private cabin. O'Neal wanted to shoot Weyland, but was convinced by a Bishop model belonging to the marines to lower his gun. Hicks however, who was aware that Weyland was actually an android and would be too great a threat when left functioning, directed O'Neal's hand and shot Weyland. After successfully retrieving enough information from the android's brain to bring down the Company, O'Neal and the others proceeded to evacuate the remaining marines and set course for home. (A:CMVG)

Operation Almond: An order issued by Sean Davis during the final stages of the Sulaco incident, which turned all Weyland-Yutani synthetics present on the Sulaco hostile toward the USCM forces. (A:INF)

Operation Outreach: A clandestine operation by the Bionational corporation in early 2192. Its objective was to pursue the government ship Benedict to the Xenomorph Homeworld and secure a Xenomorph specimen while at the same time preventing EarthGov from succeeding in capturing a creature for their own purposes. For the operation, Bionational hired a freelancer named Patrick Massey, who would act as the de-facto leader of the mission.

1. Commencing operation

On April 5, 2192, Operation Outreach launched aboard the Bionational vessel K-014 and took up pursuit of the Benedict unnoticed. During travel, an inside man, the Benedict's captain Colonel Stephens, secretly updated Massey about the mission's status. In orbit of the Xenomorph Home- world, Stephens killed the Benedict's pilot and enabled Massey and his forces to land aboard the ship. Massey quickly took control of the vessel, and his forces managed to capture almost the entire crew – save for a female civilian named Billie, who went into hiding. After killing Stephens because

165 he considered him a liability, Massey ordered his troops to land on the surface and to use the Bene- dict's marines as bait in order to capture a Xenomorph embryo. The troops landed near a large hive structure and “herded” the marines into the hive from the safety of their floaters.

2. The plan backfires

It was at this point that Operation Outreach began to fall apart. The mercenaries on the floaters were attacked and decimated by indigenous flying creatures. Additionally, the eggs inside the hives did not react to the marines as they were revealed to be androids. Massey himself met his demise when Billie emerged from hiding and killed him. These events effectively caused the complete failure of Operation Outreach. (A:B1 – O)

O'Reilly: A male human and a USCM soldier who was part of team Rhino 2-1's foray into the Su- laco during the Origin incident in 2179. When the Xenomorphs attacked, O'Reilly suffered heavy injuries and retreated back to the airlock with his comrades. His final whereabouts are unknown. (A:CMVG)

Origin: A code name given by Weyland-Yutani to the Derelict on LV-426 during the Company's attempt to exploit the wreckage and its cargo of Xenomorph eggs during the Origin incident in late 2179. (A:CMVG)

Origin facility: A Weyland-Yutani research and military base constructed around the Derelict on LV-426 in the latter half of the year 2179.

1. Conception

As soon as Weyland-Yutani got the confirmation of the Xenomorph's existence on LV-426, the Company sent its advanced science vessel Legato to investigate. The ship arrived shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident and reported that the Derelict and its cargo of Xenomorph eggs had survived the explosion of the Atmosphere Processor. This news caused Weyland-Yutani to commence a large-scale construction project around the Derelict, which had received the codename “Origin”. Once the facility was established, the Company's scientists stationed there would explore, research and exploit the ancient wreckage and its deadly cargo. Assigned to the construction project was a Weyland-Yutani employee named Joshua Morris.

2. Construction and layout

The project was a massive undertaking from the beginning. Weyland-Yutani's fleet transported vast amounts of prefabricated buildings, building parts and equipment to LV-426 and established a landing site large enough for a Research Frigate. Soon after, the first research modules, warehouses and administration buildings were erected near the landing site. The facility was divided into an inner compound, consisting of the Derelict, the core research modules and laboratories, and an outer area featuring the landing pad, loading docks and additional research stations. Between the two sections, a high-voltage perimeter fence with guard posts was established to provide protection. But the Ori- gin facility did not remain a solely civilian installation. A military force of PMCs were also deployed, along with vehicles and stationary turrets. These measures were taken both to keep potential surviving Xenomorphs in check and defend the Company's claim against outside parties.

166 3. Difficulties

The establishment and operation of the Origin facility was plagued by severe problems and set- backs. During the excavation of a vital transportation tunnel between the landing pads and the station's research modules, the workers stumbled upon a large cave system, where Xenomorphs that had survived the explosion had created another hive led by a new Queen. Due to lack of resources, the tunnel was first quarantined and later sealed. The Xenomorphs would continue to infiltrate and attack the facility until the Origin incident, costing the scientists at least one research module. However, the discovery also worked in favor of Weyland-Yutani. The Company dug another tunnel and constructed a passageway across which the Queen would be lured into a containment module. As volunteers were nowhere to be found, the plan was put on hold, but instead, the Queen was lured out of her hive by Corporal Dwayne Hicks and Richard Levy during their mission to send a distress call over the comm array of the Origin facility. Wey-Yu PMCs then proceeded to capture her and put her in the containment module where she would provide ample opportunities to study the Xenomorph race. Another hindrance Joshua Morris had to deal with was the geographic instability of the region since the explosion of the Atmosphere Processor near Hadley's Hope. Several research modules were lost due to landslides and volcanic activity. The third problem was limited resources: Joshua Morris made several futile attempts to get additional perimeter fences financed that would protect the facility from Xenomorph harassment.

4. The Origin incident

The facility would to continue to operate until the Origin incident in December 14, 2179. On this day, two USCM marines, Corporal Christopher Winter and PFC Peter O'Neal, infiltrated the facility in order to retrieve a prisoner held there. The two eventually reached a power station and deactivated the fence and security measures that surrounded the inner compound. The facility was immediately overrun by Xenomorphs, which threw the stations inside the Derelict and the surrounding installations into utter chaos. During the mayhem, the Queen wreaked havoc inside its containment module, killing several scientists before being subdued by gas. Fighting between Wey-Yu PMCs and Xenomorphs broke out inside the entire installation. Winter and O'Neal used the disarray to their advantage and successfully extracted the prisoner and escaped. While the USCM soldiers fell back to Hadley's Hope to fight off an impending Xenomorph attack, the Origin facility became compromised beyond recovery. Michael Weyland, whose frigate was parked on the landing pad, ordered a full evacuation of the installation. The preparations were already underway when the USCM attacked, intent on capturing Weyland's frigate and escape LV-426 on it. An all-out war between the USCM, Weyland-Yutani and the Xenomorphs erupted in the Ori- gin facility. A cargo lifter tried to evacuate the Queen, the most valuable prize from the operation, but was intercepted and shot down by a USCM Cheyenne dropship. The FTL, however, escaped only seconds before USCM troops could enter the vessel. The exact outcome of the battle and the final fate of the Origin facility is unknown. (A:CMVG, A:CMVG:SI)

Origin incident: A military conflict between the USCM and Weyland-Yutani taking place in orbit over and on LV-426 on December 14, 2179. An aftermath of the Hadley's Hope incident, it revolved around the second mission of the USS Sephora to the USS Sulaco and Weyland-Yutani's efforts to obtain the Xenomorph organism from the Derelict, which had been given the code name “Origin” by the Company. Presumably led to a fallout between the two parties.

167 1. Prelude I: Weyland-Yutani takes claim

After receiving a text message by Carter J. Burke confirming the existence of the Xenomorphs, Weyland-Yutani dispatched its science vessel Legato to LV-426. After the scientists had reported that the Derelict and its cargo were still intact, the Company dispatched a task force of considerable size to secure the Derelict and erect a military and research base dubbed the Origin facility. In a par- allel operation, Weyland-Yutani managed to capture Corporal Hicks from the Sulaco on Fiorina 161. Hicks had been erroneously declared KIA by the personnel of the penal colony on the prison planet, but actually had been awoken shortly before the Sulaco ejected the EEVs. Eventually, both the Sulaco and Hicks were moved back to LV-426 to assist in Project Origin.

2. Prelude II: The first mission of the Sephora

The Origin incident had not been the first time the USS Sephora had been dispatched to investigate the recovered USS Sulaco. The circumstances of why the Sephora was sent again are unknown, though it is possible that Weyland-Yutani might have put pressure on USCM command in order to cover up their involvement in the first mission and protect their assets on Phobos and that the USCM had eventually decided to ignore Weyland-Yutani and mount a second mission. In any case, the Sephora was placed under a new command for this assignment. Weyland-Yutani again secured the Sulaco and set up research labs aboard the ship, initiating Project Ilithyia. In the meantime, USCM kept looking for the Sulaco's location and, upon finding it in orbit above LV-426, finally ordered a new attempt to investigate it.

3. Boarding the Sulaco

On December 14, 2179, the USS Sephora arrived in orbit of LV-426 and approached the Sulaco. Aboard the Sephora was a contingent of 400 USCM marines, placed under the command of Lieu- tenant Jeremy Cruz. Both using troop carriers and an Umbilical, the marines were deployed aboard the Sulaco, with team Rhino 2-1 and 2-3 ordered to investigate and retrieve the flight recorder of the ship. However, both teams were met with an onslaught of Xenomorphs and were decimated before being able to complete their objectives. Cruz decided to wake up another squad from cryosleep, among them Colonel Christopher Winter. His mission objective was to follow up on teams Rhino 2- 1 and 2-3 to provide assistance. Winter entered the Sulaco via the Umbilical and met up with Pri- vate O'Neal of Rhino 2-1, then proceeded to a hived section of the ship where he located members of Rhino 2-3, cocooned and dead except for one survivor, a marine named Keyes. Winter freed Keyes and managed to retrieve the flight recorder, acting against Cruz's orders to disengage. After surviving a fierce battle in the Sulaco's hangar, during which the dropship was fatally damaged, Winter accompanied Keyes to the Umbilical. However, while passing through the docking shaft, Keyes gave birth to a Xenomorph and committed suicide by blowing up himself, the flight recorder and the Umbilical with a grenade. Winter barely escaped to the Sulaco and teamed up with O'Neal in order to secure a cargo bay for an alternative landing site for the remaining Sephora marines. Eventually, the two reached the bay and secured it, allowing a female dropship pilot named Reid to land her dropship.

4. The final hours of the Sulaco

Shortly after securing the cargo bay, Weyland-Yutani PMCs arrived at the scene and opened fire on the group. Revealed to have been in control of the ship, the Wey-Yu forces also began to attack the Sephora with the Sulaco's weapon systems, who in turn began to fire at the weapon emplacements

168 of the Sulaco. Picking up Clarison, another survivor of Rhino 2-3 who had been impregnated by a Facehugger, Winter and O'Neil proceeded to the bridge to shut down the weapon systems. The group succeeded, but the damage caused to both ships was too great. The Sephora was destroyed, with 300 marines lost and Cruz retreating to the Sulaco. The Sulaco was doomed as well, causing the Wey-Yu PMCs to evacuate, taking copies of the research data with them. Winter, O'Neal and Clarison made their way back to the cargo bay and escaped aboard Reid's dropship together with Cruz. While trying to gain distance from the disintegrating ships, the dropship was hit by debris and crash-landed on LV-426, near the colony Hadley's Hope.

5. Regrouping at Hadley's Hope

Only about a hundred marines had escaped the destruction in orbit and made it to the surface of LV- 426. Cruz, Winter and the other marines from Reid's dropship made their way to Hadley's Hope in order to set up a new command post and regroup the remaining marines. After arriving at the ruined command center, Cruz ordered Clarison and Reid to use a nearby comm relay to send out a signal for the scattered marines to make their way to Hadley's Hope. Due to a power failure, Cruz lost contact with Clarison and Reid, causing him to send Winter and O'Neal after them. While traversing the sewers, which had been populated by Xenomorphs that had survived the explosion of the Atmos- phere Processor, Winter got separated and taken by a huge Xenomorph with the code name “the Raven”. Winter woke up soon after and managed to free himself from his cocoon while the Raven was away. After reestablishing communications with O'Neal, Winter followed a beacon left behind by his comrade and traversed the depths of the sewers, which was now home to Xenomorphs grossly mutated by radiation leaked into the water supply. After rejoining and barely escaping from the Raven to the surface, Winter and O'Neal managed to locate Clarison and Reid and assist them in their task. After establishing the signal, Winter and the others fought their way back to the command center, killing many Xenomorphs and the Raven in the process.

6. Infiltrating Origin Facility

With a rallying point for the survivors of the Sephora successfully established, Winter and O'Neal requested permission to infiltrate the Weyland-Yutani research facility surrounding the Derelict in order to access the medical facilities and remove the Xenomorph embryo from Clarison. Cruz agreed under the condition that they would retrieve a personnel manifest from the facility. Winter, O'Neal and Clarison made their way to the Origin facility and gained access to the computer systems of the installation, transmitting the manifest back to Cruz. After further infiltrating the facility, the group was informed by Cruz that a surviving marine from the Sulaco was held captive in the installation and received the new objective of rescuing said prisoner. After breaching the defense perimeter, Winter, O'Neal and Clarison arrived at the medical lab only to learn that extracting the embryo from Clarison was impossible due to the cancerous nature of the infection caused by the gestating creature. Clarison died soon after when the Chestburster erupted from her chest. Struck with horror and grief, the two marines reluctantly continued their mission. In order to reach the security compound, Winter and O'Neal were forced to shut down the security systems of the facility, unleashing a whole Xenomorph population, including a Queen, on the Wey- land-Yutani personnel and PMC forces. After traversing the Derelict on their way, Winter and O'Neal eventually located the prisoner and rescued the man, who turned out to be Corporal Dwayne Hicks.

169 7. Revelations and the final assault

Confronted by Winter and O'Neil, Cruz admitted to the fact that rescuing Hicks was their main objective all along, as he could provide vital information about Weyland-Yutani's operations and means of leaving LV-426. After fending off a massive Xenomorph attack on Hadley's Hope and the regrouped marines, Cruz ordered a final assault on the Origin facility, the objective being to hijack the last FTL-capable ship left on the surface, a Weyland-Yutani Research Frigate. They were forced to act quickly, as Weyland-Yutani, overwhelmed by the Xenomorph attacks after the breakdown of the security grid, was evacuating the planet. Winter, Hicks, Cruz and O'Neal spearheaded the full- scale attack, with Reid and other pilots providing air support. When the group witnessed a cargo lifter carrying the captured Queen to the research frigate for extraction, they disabled Anti-Air turrets and thus enabled Reid to cripple the lifter. However, the crash landing of the lifter freed the Queen, which proceeded to stalk Winter and the others through the loading docks. After a frantic escape, Cruz's marines arrived at the frigate seconds too late and had to watch helplessly as the ship launched.

8. Endgame

Aboard Reid's dropship, Cruz, Winter and the rest of the group pursued the frigate in LV-426's atmosphere. Reid managed to shoot the cargo bay open and crash the dropship inside the ship. Before the group could proceed deeper into the vessel, the Queen, which had entered the frigate as a stowaway, viciously attacked them. Winter tried to use a cargo catapult to throw the creature out of the ship, but it managed to cling to the bay floor and resume her rampage. Cruz, who had been stuck in the dropship's deformed cockpit, sacrificed himself, firing the Cheyenne's thrusters and propelling himself and the attacking Queen out of the frigate. Exhausted by the events, Winter, O'Neal, Reid and Hicks confronted Michael Weyland, the alleged mastermind behind Weyland-Yutani's operations on LV-426, inside his private cabin on the ship. Conflicted between a desire to kill Weyland out of revenge and capturing him to bring down the Company, an argument erupted among the survivors. Hicks ended the debate by shooting Weyland, who was revealed to be an android. A Bishop model accompanying Winter and the others successfully hacked into Weyland's brain, retrieving more than enough information to incriminate Wey- land-Yutani and hold the Company responsible for its actions. (A:CMVG)

Orona, Waidslaw: A male human and a scientist. Dedicating his work to the research of the Xenomorph, Orona was the leading mind on the subject in the late 22nd century. In this capacity, he was a valuable consultant for the military and possessed ties to several other powerful organizations, including the TIA and GENstaff. Orona played a key role in the events leading up to and tran- spiring during the Earth War, during which he also met his end.

170 1. Early life and theoretical Xenomorph research

Information about Orona's life prior to his work on the Xenomorph is virtually non-existent, other than the fact that he has attained the postgraduate academic degree Ph. D. at some point. It can be assumed that Orona had been involved in classified matters of the military and clandestine bio- weapon research, which would explain how Orona learned of the creature in a time before its existence would become public knowledge. Whatever the circumstances, Orona was eventually hired by the Colonial Marine Corps to do theoretic research on the Xenomorph. Orona compiled his results in the top-secret audiovisual presentation “Theory of Alien Propagation”. At this point, Orona classified the Aliens as a collective of animals.

2. Expedition to the Xenomorph Homeworld

After the discovery of the old freighter Junket in Earth's orbit in 2192 yielded the telemetry data to the Xenomorph Homeworld, Orona was given the task to organize an expedition to the homeworld to retrieve a Xenomorph specimen for research. To this end, Orona was given full authority to secure any means necessary to make this expedition a success. While the mission itself would be led by Colonel Stephens, a representative of the military, Orona took interest in records of previous encounters with the Xenomorphs. Although all hands involved in the Hadley's Hope incident were lost during the Fury 161 incident, a survivor of a Xenomorph encounter existed: Wilks, a Colonial Ma- rine who had been involved in the Rim incident. Despite Stephens' misgivings about Wilks given his checkered resume after the Rim mission, Orona, backed by military command, installed Wilks as second-in-command. On April 5, 2192, the mission launched aboard the spaceship Benedict.

3. Nightmares

With the mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld underway, Orona turned his attention to an unsettling development on Earth. Reports of vivid nightmares in the general population were coming in that all had the same subject: Xenomorphs. In spite of the fact that they were all occurring within a radius of fifty miles, Orona was unable to find out the cause of this development. It was not until the authorities learned of the existence of a doomsday cult worshipping the Xenomorphs that the source of these nightmares was uncovered: A private corporation named Bionational had retrieved the embryo of a Xenomorph Queen and kept the creature in a research facility on Earth. The nightmares were revealed to be a manifestation of a telepathic signal emitted by the Queen. Orona wanted to seize the facility and take possession of the Queen, but it was already too late: Guided by the signal and its leader Salvaje, the cult stormed the Bionational facility and managed to get dozens of followers impregnated and extracted before the facility and the Queen was destroyed by the acti- vation of a security protocol. The Xenomorph now ran free on planet Earth.

4. Orona's war

With the full co-oporation of the military, Orona began a campaign to contain the Xenomorph threat, using the Planetary Security Act to bypass local authorities. While the infestation quickly spread to other continents, Orona's special forces were at first very successful in eradicating the creatures and their nests. However, several months after the outbreak had started, the Aliens adapted to the tactics of the special forces and resorted to create countless small nests instead of fully formed hives. This sped up the infestation, and the conflict quickly escalated to a war. In late 2192, Orona was forced to deploy a full division to combat a giant cluster of nests that had claimed Diego Suarez in northern Madagascar. Two months later, Orona had to order the nuclear destruction of

171 Jakarta. He realized too late that the Alien infestation had more in common with a spreading disease than animals or an enemy army. Mankind was losing Earth to the Xenomorph.

5. Legacy

During the last stages of the war, Orona retreated to a highly fortified military compound in Mex- ico. There, Orona set up a large amount of fusion bombs configured to detonate after the last remnants of the military forces had escaped Earth. The bombs were intended to eradicate all life on Earth and leave it to be reclaimed by humanity sometime in the future. Orona then proceeded to create a record of Earth's downfall and sent it out via long-range transmission as his last legacy. Just as the Xenomorphs overran the facility, Orona committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. However, the bombs left by Orona would indeed eventually become the instrument that liberated Earth from the Aliens. (A:B1 – O)

Ostrow: A male human and a Bionational scientist working on the research team observing the Xenomorph Queen held in the corporation's Lima facility. During the attack on the facility, Ostrow was impregnated and dragged off by the cultists. After having given birth to a Chestburster, Os- trow's corpse was discovered by Orona's containment troops some time later. (A:B1 – O)

Ought-Two-class freighter: A class of freighters in service during the first few decades of the 23rd century. One notable ship of this class was the wreckage of the Hume discovered on Soulages by the survivors of the C-3 L/M incident in 2232. (A:NE)

*** P ***

P9 S.H.A.R.P. Rifle: A prototype infantry weapon manufactured by Armat. The acronym S.H.A.R.P. stands for “sonic-harpoon artillery remote projectile” and describes the P9's unique ammunition that consists of darts equipped with an explosive that sticks to its target and detonates after a short delay. Fires in a semi-automatic mode and has a clip size of 10. (A:CMVG)

Palms, Jeffrey: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident. Nicknamed “Lucky” due to his strange luck. Palms was born in the second half of the 2140s. After enlisting in USCM service, he attended recruit training at Parris Island. During this period, the worst hurricane in 15 years hit the island and killed two of Palms' comrades. Afterward, Palms continued his training at SOI East. One day, a malfunctioning grenade killed his instructor and injured two fellow soldiers while Palms suffered only minor injuries despite standing right in front of the instructor. Palms would later serve during Operation Arcturan Freedom where he was injured during a skirmish and lifted back to camp for treatment. While undergoing medical, the rest of his fire team was killed during a dropship crash he would have been in were it not for his injuries. These strange and often tragic occurrences earned Palms his nickname although he himself had come to consider his luck more of a curse. After having been transferred to first platoon, the frequency and severity of these events have toned down somewhat. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Palms ranked Corporal. During an engagement aboard the Su- laco, he got separated from his fire team, but later rejoined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Paluski: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. As part of team Rhino 2-1, Paluski boarded the Sulaco with his comrades, only to be attacked by

172 Xenomorphs. The team managed to retreat back to the airlock, but the fight had left most members injured or dead, with only Paluski and O'Neal remaining to tend to their wounded comrades. After Winter and Keyes had returned with the flight recorder, Paluski fended off the attacking Xenomorphs together with his fellow marines and accompanied them back to the Umbilical. When disaster struck and the Umbilical was destroyed, Paluski got sucked out into space and died of ex- posure to vacuum. (A:CMVG)

Pandor, Elijah: A male human and one of the colonists of the botanic space colony Domes Epsilon involved in the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid-80s of the 24th century. When unloading a shipment from Domes Gamma, Pandor discovered a Xenomorph Egg that had been smuggled in with the rest of the cargo. As Pandor moved in closer, a Facehugger moved closer and attached itself to his face. Two days later, the Facehugger, having completed the impregnation, detached itself, and Pandor woke up. As the staff of the colony was unfamiliar with the Xenomorph, everybody assumed that the crisis was over. Pandor was working together with his colleagues Cody and Hen- dricks in Dome Four when he gave birth to the Chestburster, just as the Betty had entered the system and contacted Domes Epsilon to warn the colonists about the danger they were in. (A:OS)

Panther Alien: A Xenomorph subspecies originating from a large feline creature. The general anatomy of the Panther Alien resembles that of a Runner, also featuring digigrade hind legs, a slender appearance and lacking dorsal tubes. A unique feature was that it was host to a parasitic creature that was situated on its back and could be launched at a victim, where it destroyed itself on impact, causing damage to the target. The color of its skin is a shiny black with red accents. A very similar species dubbed the Night Cougar Alien existed, sporting a lighter complexion. (KAF)

Papp, L.: A female human and one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Corporal at the time. After crash-landing on LV-426 following the destruction of the Sephora and the Sulaco, Papp was eager to fight back against the Xenomorphs. She was eventually killed when a Crusher rammed her at full speed. (A:CMVG)

Paris: The capital of France, Earth. During the early stages of the Earth War in the 2190s, Paris was the location of one of the Xenomorph nests swiftly eradicated by Orona's teams. (A:B1 – O)

Parker, J.T.: A male human working as the Engineer of the crew involved in the Nostromo incident. Born on February 4, 2080 in San Diego, California. Had the ID number 724/R4-06J.

1. Early life

Parker started his recorded working career in 2100, working in the racing business for Speedy Maxx High Speed Terrafoil Racing. He would eventually leave due to a salary dispute on October 6, 2104. On January 6, 2105, Parker entered United States military service at the rank of Private, assigned as a mechanic to the Outer Rim Defense Fleet. He worked his way up to the rank of Corporal and took on an assignment at the Outer Rim Defense base Skyfire Down as Chief Mechanic. Parker was eventually caught up in the events of the Torin Prime civil war and got captured by J'Har rebels and brought to the concentration camp GR-161 on August 1, 2107. He escaped from detention during the liberation of the planet on February 21, 2108 by building an escape vehicle out of scrap parts. Subsequently, Parker was honorably discharged from military service and returned to Earth. Late in 2109, Parker began studying at the San Diego School of Astro-Engineering, but dropped out of studies on March 29, 2113. On October 2, 2113, Parker started working as a freelancer for Mex- Corp until January 7, 2114, when he accepted an assignment at the United Americas lightspeed ac-

173 celeration threshold on Neptune. He eventually returned to engineer duty aboard space vessels when he entered Weyland-Yutani employment as Assistant Engineer aboard the cargo vessel Otago on May 5, 2115. Two years later, on October 27 2117, Parker began service as an engineer with a flight status rank of C aboard another cargo vessel, the Nonnabo, where he would meet and develop a friendship with Brett. Together with his friend, he joined the Nostromo en route to Thedus on Sep- tember 10, 2120. He would remain on the ship to be involved in the Nostromo incident two years later.

2. The Nostromo incident

Parker was responsible for repairing minor damage on the Nostromo together with Brett so that it could depart LV-426 after the discovery of the derelict. During the incident, Parker played a vital role in assisting the fight against the Xenomorph by developing a makeshift flamethrower, a cattle prod and a motion tracker, but also suffered a heavy loss when Brett was killed by the Xenomorph. He would later help save Ripley from a vicious attack by Ash and was among the last three survivors of the crew, who decided to set the ship on self-destruct and escape in the emergency shuttle. Parker proceeded to load the Narcissus with oxygen tanks together with Lambert and was killed by the Xenomorph when he tried to save Lambert from the creature. (A1)

Parks: A human male and a crewman participating in the Benedict mission in 2192. Parks was one of the few survivors of the mission to make it back to an Alien-infested Earth. Parks and the others landed at one of the last military compounds, where the military confiscated the Benedict. Parks was present when an officer informed the group that they would be left behind on Earth. When the discussion erupted into violence, Parks panicked and fled the scene. His final fate is unknown. (A:B1 – O)

Patin, Robert T.: A male human and a member of the USCM. In the year 2193, Patin inhabited the rank of Private First Class and was stationed at Third Base as part of the Third Base project team. During the Spears incident, Patin had guard duty at the South Lock when he was knocked unconscious by a fellow soldier named Renus when he and his team fled the compound to escape Spears' reign of terror. As soon as Spears learned of the incident, he ordered Patin to be fed to the captive Xenomorphs as punishment. (A:B2 - NA)

Patna: A modified Conestoga-class space transport operated by Weyland-Yutani. Michael Bishop used the Patna to travel to Fiorina 161 in 2179 in a failed attempt to secure one of the two Xenomorphs involved in the Fury 16 incident, being the fully-grown Runner and the Queen embryo gestating inside Ripley. The Patna was reportedly equipped with advanced medical facilities sufficient to perform the extraction of a Xenomorph embryo although Michael Bishop's account in this matter during the incident has to be considered dubious. At the very least, the ship must have been sufficiently fitted to hold and contain a fully-developed Xenomorph specimen. (A3)

Pauling: A subcontractor of Weyland Industries that manufactured its MedPod 720i model. (PR)

Paulson, Brock: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Bear” by his parents since early childhood due to his imposing height and appearance. Paulson was born in the mid-2150s. Despite his strong build, he used his strength to defend weaker kids at school as he did not like abusive people. After graduating from high school, Paulson wanted to become a marine biologist, but his family was not able to afford the costs. After several attempts

174 to gain an athletic scholarship had failed, Paulson met an USCM recruiter who offered him a deal: In exchange for three years of service, the corps would pay his college. He did not hesitate to accept and soon became respected and loved by his comrades for his skills and easy-going demeanor. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Paulson had obtained the rank of Private First Class. He was part of the original Fire Team Fox, which was tasked with locating a life signal that had been picked up from the Sulaco by an advance team. Paulson would continue to play an active role during the incident. (A:INF)

PDT: Abbreviation for Personal Data Transmitter. Describes a small device either carried by or implanted inside a person that transmits locational data like position and distance. This data can be received and processed for readout by a range of systems, from a mainframe to a small portable receiver. While a PDT is often used for surveillance purposes, it can also be used to find missing persons. An example of the usage of PDTs is the colony Hadley's Hope on LV-426. During the Hadley's Hope incident, the recon mission used the mainframe to locate a large cluster of PDT signals emanating from the nearby Atmosphere Processor. When investigating the source of the signals, a large Xenomorph hive was discovered where the colonists had been brought for impregnation during the Xenomorph outbreak preceding the incident. Later, Ripley gave her PDT to Newt and used it to locate her inside the processor after she had been abducted by the Xenomorphs during the escape to the landing pad. (A2)

Pelican Colony: A colony founded on KOI-947.01 in 2056. Sported a population of almost 6.5 million by 2071. Taking advantage of the planet's fertile soil, the colony maintained a productive agricultural industry, which would earn the colony the reputation of being a major food provider in the second half of the 21st century. Key resources were oxygen, methane and nickel. (PR:WIW)

Perez, Martin Allahandro Carlos: A male human serving as a General for the USM in 2381. Was charged with overseeing the cloning project aboard the Auriga aimed at harvesting the Xenomorph for research purposes. Perez opposed the scientists' request to keep Ripley 8 alive after the extraction of the Queen embryo had been a success. Meanwhile, Perez had struck a deal with the smuggler Elgyn, with whom he went back a ways, to deliver human hosts to the Auriga. Shortly before the outbreak, Perez received Elgyn, his crew and their cargo aboard the research vessel. In addition to hard cash, Perez agreed to have the crew of the Betty as guests for a few days. Perez was later killed by a Xenomorph during the evacuation of the Auriga after he had sacrificed a manned escape pod infiltrated by an Alien in order to contain the infestation. (A:RES)

Perkins: The name of the guard bot responsible for supervising the incarceration of David Wilks inside a military prison on Earth in 2192 for a drunk and disorderly charge. Before the sentence could be fully served, Perkins notified him of his meeting with Colonel Stephens and Dr. Orona to discuss his participation in the Benedict mission. The robot also handed Wilks a copy of the video footage from the Dutton and escorted him to his appointment after he had watched the vid. (A:B1 – O)

Peterson, Sean J.: A male human and a USCM soldier stationed at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. Ranking Corporal at the time, Peterson and fellow comrades Renus and Magruder intended to flee the base to the nearby terraformer colony in order to escape General Spears' insanity. During the preparations for their desertion, Peterson was responsible for organizing food rations. Initially, the escape from Third Base seemed to succeed without incident. However, after ar-

175 riving at the colony, the group discovered that Spears had transformed the facilities into an artificial Alien hive. Peterson was then killed during an attack of the resident Drones. (A:B2 - NA)

Petey: A male human and one of countless individuals left behind on Xenomorph-infested Earth in the 2190s. In 2193, Petey was assisting his friends Leather and Nylon in uncovering a military food cache, acting as a lookout on a nearby tower. However, the site was a trap laid by Bug Feeder, who overwhelmed and captured the three. Amy and her uncle Burt secretly filmed the scene and broadcast it. The recording was eventually picked up by Third Base during the Spears incident, where Billie happened to watch it at the comm station. (A:B2 - NA)

PGSS: Abbreviation for Power Grid Switching System. See the respective entry.

Philipakos, Angela: A female human and one of the colonists involved in the Domes Epsilon incident. Was born in the early 60s of the 24th century. Daughter of Philip Philipakos, the administrator of Domes Epsilon, who affectionately called her “Angie”. Lost her mother to a fire at an early age. Had a genetic condition which dwarfed her size to just about a meter. Her size was deceptive, though, as Angie was a level-headed person with a strong will to survive. By the time of the Domes Epsilon incident, Angela Philipakos worked together with her father on the station, doubling as a botanist and the resident physicist. After a Facehugger had attached itself to a staff member called Elijah Pandor, Angela took care of supervising Pandor's condition after he had been transferred to the medbay. After the Betty had arrived, informing them of the danger they were in, Angie helped her father with activating an old heat sensor grid while the others were preparing the evacuation, discovering that the Xenomorph population aboard the station had been far larger than expected. Later, Angie was among the convoy to the backup bay. When the Xenomorphs attacked, Angie was driven into the jungle like the rest of the group. As she wandered aimlessly throughout the jungle, she met up with her father, only to witness him sacrificing his life to ensure her escape from an attacking Alien. Eventually, she stumbled upon Ripley, who escorted her to safety aboard the Betty. After the destruction of Domes Epsilon, Angie remained as the only human survivor of the staff and decided to join the crew of the Betty to ensure that no one else would suffer the same fate as her colleagues. (A:OS)

Philipakos, Philip: A male human and the administrator of the Domes Epsilon botanic space colony during the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid-80s of the 24th century. Grew up at the Chicago centerplex on Earth, where he met Tristan Benedict, with whom he developed a close friendship. Has been married and fathered a daughter called Angela, but lost his wife to a fire at a mining colony when Angela was still very young. Angela then grew up under Philips' custody at Domes Epsilon where he had begun working as the administrator of the facility. Despite the fact that Angela would very well hold her own, Philip was very protective of his daughter even when she had became a young woman. Philip also met up with his old friend Benedict when he gave him a job aboard the station. By the time of the Domes Epsilon incident, Philip had been working and living at Domes Epsilon for several decades and put a lot of effort in building up and maintaining the station. However, things changed when the colonist was impregnated by a Facehugger which had been smuggled aboard in order to infest Domes Epsilon with the Xenomorph organism. As the Betty arrived and warned them about the danger the colonists were in, Philipakos reluctantly chose to trust Ripley 8 and allow them to come aboard. He later met up with Ripley 8, Call and the rest of the boarding team from the Betty and led them to the control center. After being advised that an evacuation would be the only way to deal with the situation, Philip chose to put the lives of the colonists over his lifetime work and agreed to the plan. While Ripley 8 and Johner were scouting the backup bay

176 as a means to escape, Philip worked together with Angela on reactivating an old heat sensor grid he had installed roughly twenty years ago in order to protect his daughter to suffer the same fate as her mother. When the grid came online, they discovered that not just a single creature, but a whole dozen of them were present on Domes Epsilon. It was decided to make a dash to the backup bay on two of the Runabouts of the station, but before the convoy could reach its destination, it was attacked by several Xenomorph, and Philip and the rest of the group became scattered into the jungle. Philip found his daughter and tried to escape to safety, but they were stopped short by a Xenomorph lurking nearby. Philip chose to sacrifice himself in order to ensure Angela's escape. (A:OS)

Phobos: The larger one of the two moons of Mars. Phobos' atmosphere was terraformed during an unspecified timespan, creating air that was breathable by humans. During the 2170s, Weyland-Yu- tani maintained a research station on Phobos, conducting breeding experiments with Xenomorphs. (A:INF)

Phobos Research Station: A biological research station on Phobos operated by Weyland-Yutani. The part of the installation above surface mainly consisted of a reception area and a communications tower. The bulk of the facility was located underground, extending several hundreds of meters below the surface. The upper floors in this part were occupied by maintenance areas and terminal access points, while the eight lowest floors housed the research and experimentation facilities and the specimen containment chambers.

1. Disaster

Sometime during the 2170s, the Company got hold of Xenomorph eggs by unspecified means, which were transferred to Phobos. There, the team of scientists began to conduct breeding experiments with various types of Simians. The experiments created monstrous hybrids, which were contained in the specimen chambers on the lowest floors. Shortly before the Sulaco incident took place, an unspecified accident occurred at the station that released the Xenomorph hybrids, which proceeded to eradicate the science personnel. A last ditch effort by the surviving researchers was made to hole themselves up in the communications tower. Additionally, UA 575 sentry guns were placed to protect the access to the tower. However, a particularly large hybrid broke through the barriers and killed off the last remaining humans.

2. USCM investigation during the Sulaco incident

Shortly before the outbreak, the Phobos Research Station was expecting a cargo of new Xenomorph eggs from the Sulaco, which had been taken over by the Company. However, USCM soldiers were also present aboard the vessel as it reached Phobos, and when the facility failed to respond to communication attempts, the marines went down to the surface to investigate. The UA 575s still blocked access to the comm tower, so the marines proceeded to explore the underground portion of the station in order to find an override device for the sentry guns. As the soldiers traversed through the bowels of the base, they soon realized what had happened to the facility. The Colonial Marines also encountered live Simian Xenomorphs roaming the installation. On sub-floor 8, the soldiers finally located an override device and entered the comm tower. There, the fire team fought and killed the large hybrid specimen that was still present on the uppermost floor. When the fight was over, the marines left the installation and returned to the Sulaco. (A:INF)

Pindar: A male human and a network technician. Was instrumental in relaying Salvaje's message during the prelude to the Earth War in the 2190s.

177 Nothing is known about Pindar's early life. Eventually, he began working as a freelance network technician and set up his own shop. As the corporate market had its own designates, Pindar's work mostly consisted of private or military assignments. In 2189, Pindar met a man named Salvaje, the charismatic leader of the Cult of the True Messiah, which was a sect worshipping the Xenomorph. During the following three years, Salvaje regularly hired Pindar to splice him into the Network and thus enable him to spread his message to the public. In 2192, Salvaje came into possession of footage of a Xenomorph and again hired Pindar to set him up with a splice into the Network. However, the TIA then became aware of Salvaje's message and began its investigation, during which it also sent officials to several network technicians for preliminary questioning, among them Pindar. Pindar did not give away Salvaje, but became worried about the government's interest and thus confronted Salvaje about the matter. Salvaje reacted by threatening to kill Pindar, which prompted him to do a background check on the man. As part of his research, he discovered that Salvaje had hired technicians other than himself. Pindar traveled to Lima to meet one of these persons, a man named Gerard who did contract work for the local Bionational facility and was a passing acquaintance of Pindar. Through Gerard, Pindar learned of Salvaje's past at Bionational and the existence of a data terminal Gerard had set up for the fanatic. Pindar then hacked into this terminal and discovered footage of the Xenomorph Queen held at the Lima facility of Bionational. Shortly after, Pindar was taken in by the TIA. It was during his interrogation that EarthGov, and, by extension, its Xenomorph expert, Dr. Orona, learned of the Xenomorph presence on Earth. Pindar did not survive the interrogation, and his remaining entrails were donated as organ transplants. (A:B1 – O)

Planetary Security Act: A law that allows the bypassing of local legislation should there be proof of a global threat. Orona invoked the Planetary Security Act when he tried to contain the Xenomorph scourge during the beginning of the Earth War in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Planetus: A corporation rising in the early 23rd century. Like its rival, Weyland-Yutani, Planetus had investments in research and terraforming. Unlike Weyland-Yutani, however, Planetus distanced itself from ethically questionable business practices and instead opted for an environment-friendly approach. At an undisclosed date during the first few decades of the 23rd century, Planetus acquired another rival company, Omnitech, and assimilated it into its own infrastructure. In 2227, it spent a considerable part of their resources to buy the planet C-3 L/M, sharing it in equal parts with Weyland-Yu- tani. The year of 2232 saw the downfall of Planetus and its subsequent buyout by Weyland-Yutani as a consequence of the C-3 L/M incident. (A:NE)

Platinum Star: A USCM medal awarded for exceptional performance in combat. (A:B1 – O)

Platte: The proper name of the planet KOI-323.08. (PR:WIW)

POL-3191 BB: A planet located 3112 light years from Earth. Discovered in 2071, the world was given the proper name “Coren”. Notable for housing at least two unique micro-organisms, making it the first planet with a fauna consisting of multiple indigenous species. (PR:WIW)

POL-3191 CC: A planet situated 3129 light years from Earth. Discovered in 2071, the planet was given the proper name “Apta”. The world lies adjacent to the world POL-3191 BB, proper name Coren. A survey has determined the likelihood of life present on the world; however, as of 2071, only a single form of microfauna has been discovered on POL-3191 CC. (PR:WIW)

178 POL-5362: A planet located 3129 light years from Earth. Discovered in 2071, the world has been given the proper name Aires. POL-5362's surface consists of frozen methane gas, but nevertheless, life has been detected beneath the ice. As of 2071, human scientists were tasked with further investigation. (PR:WIW)

POL-6362: A planet situated 3249 light years from Earth. Discovered in 2071, the world has been given the proper name “Jacob-Tellis”. Notable for being the outermost world reached by mankind as of 2071. During further exploration, evidence for the presence of an aquatic microfauna on the world was found by a human survey team. (PR:WIW)

Porhyreus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in pale-blue highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Portable Decontamination Pack: A device used to rid a local environment of hostile elements in the atmosphere. As the pack draws its resources from inflammable material in the air, the energy supply of the device is self-sufficient. The Portable Decontamination Pack was introduced by Wey- land Industries on July 22, 2059. (PR:WIW)

Pozhalujsta Outpost: A colony on Kepler 22b which was established in 2060. Taking advantage of the planet's low gravity and its prolonging effects on equipment, the colony's industry consisted of mining and refining facilities. Key resources were magnesium, dysprosium, lead and nickel. (PR:WIW)

Post, Richard: A male human who was hired to work as Chief Statistician to the Electronics Divi- sion of Weyland Industries on October 4, 2033. Post became famous for being the one millionth employee of the corporation. (PR:WIW)

Powell, Eugene: A male human and a USCM officer. Played a key role as the instigator of the mutiny at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. A peaceful person at heart, Powell originally studied for priesthood, but eventually ended up in USCM service. By 2193, Powell had risen to the rank of Major, acting as General Spears' second-in-command at Third Base. During the months preceding the Spears incident, Powell became increasingly worried about Spears' state of mind and his inhuman leadership. Around the time the American arrived at Third Base, Powell began to write down these thoughts in a private log. When he learned of Wilks, Powell saw a chance to stop Spears. He proceeded to approach Wilks as the latter returned to the American, making sure that they were undisturbed. After informing Wilks of the extent of Spears' madness, he urged him to assist in a mutiny. As Wilks possessed the healthy dose of ruthlessness Powell lacked, he took the leading role during the preparations, with Powell assisting him with his knowledge and access clearances. However, the mutiny quickly turned into a brutal battle. Powell kept close to Wilks and Billie during the conflict and accompanied them to the hangar bay in order to escape the carnage. While the group tried to gain access to the MacArthur, Powell was killed by a Spears loyalist confronting the three. (A:B2 - NA)

Power Grid Switching System: Part of a global energy supply system operating on Earth in the late 22nd century. Abbreviated as PGSSs, these massive installations are protected by shield systems large enough to create weather anomalies such as constant rain in its area. In 2192, a man named Salvaje, the leader of a cult named the Church of Immaculate Incubation, operated from an apartment in the vicinity of the PGSS responsible for the Southern Hemisphere. (A:B1 – O)

179 Powerloader: An anthropomorphic exoskeleton used for varying purposes, including cargo handling and heavy maintenance. A powerloader is basically a mechanical framework operated by a single person that detects and translates the movements of the operator to its limbs, reinforcing the strength by a great degree and facilitating work involving great weights even in rough terrain. An example of a powerloader is the Caterpillar P-5000 used in the late 22nd century. There also exist military variants equipped with weapons called Combat Exosuits. The concept of a Powerloader is regulated in patent 15,725,924, which was claimed by Weyland In- dustries on January 29, 2056. During the 2070s, a Powerloader model manufactured by Weyland In- dustries was widely in use, featuring a durable low alloy steel exoskeleton. While the overall layout was already very similar to the Caterpillar model from the late 22nd century, the Weyland Industries Powerloader was slightly less powerful, capable of lifting “only” 3 tons. Weyland Industries stated at the time that the use of its powerloader had boosted work security by 300 percent on colony worlds and starships. (A2, A:CMTM, A:INF, PR:WIW)

Pox Face: The nickname Johner gave to a cargo hauler present in the mess hall of Byzantium Sta- tion during the raid of the Betty crew on the facility several years after the Auriga incident in 2381. The name referred to the scarring on the man's face caused by Arethan crater pox. Pox Face was involved in the brawl Johner had provoked in order to provide a distraction so that Call could access Byzantium Station's mainframe without interference. (A:OS)

Praetorian: An elite caste of Xenomorphs tasked with protecting the Queen. Named after ancient Rome's elite warriors. Also known as the “Royal Guard”. Praetorians are basically a larger variant of the third stage adult Xenomorph. The notable exception is its prominent head crest, similar to the crest of a Queen. Built to be more resistant and stronger than an average Warrior or Drone, a Praetorian has proven to be a deadly opponent, capable of with- standing small-arms fire, but vulnerable to armor-piercing ammunition. A Praetorian is often accompanied by adult Xenomorphs, which seem to be acting under its direct command. The Praeto- rian's trademark high-pitched shriek seems to play a key role in deploying and guiding those forces. A Praetorian develops from an adult Xenomorph by means of natural selection. In the early stages of the transformation, the Praetorian emits a pheromone which causes the rest of the hive's Xenomorphs to react violently to it. If the Praetorian can make its way out of the hive, the second stage of the transformation begins where it roams the surroundings, growing stronger and more experienced in battle. During this phase, the initially vulnerable shell hardens, eventually resulting in the final stage, a fully-developed Praetorian. Now, the Praetorian can return to the hive, taking its rightful place at the Queen's side. One theory suggests that a Praetorian is some sort of missing link between an adult Xenomorph and a Queen and might be able to develop into a Queen itself, should circumstances require it.

Prasinus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in pale-green highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Pressor Field: A technology that creates a field incapacitating a person for medical or interrogation purposes. Used during the late 22nd century. Pressor Fields could exert a tremendous grip, making it difficult to break free of even for strong android models. One notable example of a device equipped with a Pressor Field is the Model 244-2 Diagnoster by Hyperdyne Systems. (A:B1 – O)

Project Ilithyia: A Weyland-Yutani science project to study the remaining Xenomorph population aboard the Sulaco prior to the Origin incident.

180 After the Sulaco had been reclaimed by Weyland-Yutani, scientists set up cameras throughout the infested areas and established research posts and quarantine barriers. PMCs were stationed aboard the Sulaco at the pretense of protecting the scientists while their real objective was to enforce compliance and prevent an information leak. Known scientists assigned to the project were Doctors Conrad and Stanton. Project Ilithyia was ultimately terminated prior to the Origin incident. How- ever, the project's legacy lived on as it is probable that Wey-Yu PMCs escaped with research data when a number of them evacuated from the doomed Sulaco in the early stages of the Origin incident. (A:CMVG)

Project Prometheus: A basket term for multiple projects regarding the exploration of extraterrestrial life undertaken by Weyland Industries. Originally a NASA project aimed at researching nuclear fission as a means for spacecraft propulsion. The technology from Project Prometheus was intended to power the JIMO probe, but the project was, like JIMO itself, canceled in 2005. However, Wey- land Industries later acquired technology from the project in 2017 and revived and completed the JIMO project.

1. Re-purposed by Weyland Industries

However, this was not the end of Project Prometheus. Under the personal guidance of Sir Peter Weyland, it became a long-term investment, with a new objective reflecting Weyland's ever-growing ambitions to explore our universe and find the origin of mankind. In the early 2070s, Weyland scientists discovered undisclosed clues hinting at extraterrestrial involvement in the creation of life on Earth. These clues were spectacular enough to warrant a relaunch of Project Prometheus, starting with a new round of fund-raising and mission planning in 2073. Five years later, on August 1, 2078, Weyland Industries learned of the scientific work of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, which happened to explore the same questions and notions as Project Prometheus. Weyland was convinced that Shaw may have found the missing piece of information that had eluded his scientists and sent a representative to Toro Muerto, Peru, to meet Shaw and her partner Charlie Holloway, granting her research financial support and putting Weyland Industries' equipment at their disposal. This launched a sub-project called Project Genesis, an exploration of ancient artifacts that spanned the whole globe, during which the two scientists worked closely with a Weyland Industries representative, who contributed his own considerable scientific skills. Soon, the team discovered a pictogram that was common to all artifacts and which seemed to indicate the constellation of a star system.

2. Mission preparations

One year later, Shaw had amassed enough data to believe that she had discovered the location of mankind's true origin on LV-223 in the Zeta 2 Reticuli system and contacted Weyland with the request of funding an expedition in order to prove her theories. In late 2079, Shaw and Holloway entered a contract with Weyland Industries, which included full access to the Company's resources and an intergalactic mission to the star system they had identified. In late 2080, Project Genesis was officially concluded, and Project Prometheus entered its third phase. For the expedition, Weyland In- dustries chose its new FTL-capable research vessel, the USCSS Prometheus. During the following years of preparations, Shaw and Holloway continued their research for additional information, culminating in the exploration of cave paintings on the Island of Skye, Scotland, in 2089.

181 3. Departure

In 2091, preparations were finally finished. At this point, Weyland Industries had invested one tril- lion dollars, outfitting the Prometheus with extensive research equipment and a crew consisting of a staff of 17 scientists, pilots, workers and security officers. A company representative named Mered- ith Vickers joined the mission to act as a supervisor, while an ex-military pilot called Janek was assigned as the captain of the vessel. The science division consisted of Shaw, Holloway, biologist Millburn and geologist Fifield. Two RT01 Group Transports were loaded into the cargo bay for ground missions, in addition to several ATV vehicles. The Prometheus itself contained a lifeboat section, which acted as Vickers' personal quarters, but also hid a cryosleep chamber for Peter Wey- land, who had secretly joined the expedition in order to find a cure for his rapidly failing health. On July 6, 2091, the Prometheus departed Earth and jumped to lightspeed for its destination. On December 21, 2093, the vessel reached the target system. The mission failed, and the vessel and almost all hands were lost during the events known as the LV-223 incident. (PR, PR:WIW)

Project Prometheus Training Center: An open virtual training program for applicants of Project Prometheus. Supervised by Andrea Bishop, the training consisted of five different tests. The first two tests, Agility Assessment and G-Force Assessment, evaluated the physical capabilities of the trainee, while the third and fourth tests, Situational Intelligence, determined the mental capabilities. In addition to this core program, a fifth test was available for individuals applying by using Internet Explorer online access technology. (PR:WIW)

Prometheus-class space exploration vessel: A landmark FTL-capable spacecraft manufactured by Weyland Industries. Successor to the Heliades-class developed by the same company. Classified as a heavy exploration and prospecting vessel. Development took place from 2034 to 2072 and included an extensive testing phase performed by a crew led by Corin McManna, an experienced He- liades-class pilot. As the flagship of Weyland Industries' efforts to explore distant parts of our galaxy, the Prometheus class had its maiden voyage on its first official mission in the summer of 2073, an event which received much public attention.

1. Exterior properties

The craft spanned roughly 170 meters in length. Propulsion for the Prometheus-class was provided by four nuclear-powered ion engines which could be rotated to provide the ship with VTOL capabilities and which were designed for both atmospheric and interstellar operations. An FTL drive that was much more powerful than the one in Heliades-class ships allowed the Prometheus-class to travel to systems far beyond colonized space. The bridge section at the front featured a fireproof windscreen, and dedicated antennae at the top provided intergalactic communication capabilities. A cargo bay was located inside the ship's ventral portion and could be lowered to the ground like a huge elevator cabin to deploy vehicles for ground missions.

2. Interior properties

The interior of the ship was spread over 4 decks connected by an elevator and a stairway. The facilities were designed with the requirements of scientific missions in mind and thus featured a laboratory in the central area and two medical facilities located in the lower aft section. The crew section featured two mess halls and two rooms housing the quarters. The cargo bay provided enough room for five medium-duty exploration rovers such as the RT01 Group Transport, two heavy mineral ex- tractors and four ATV NR6 quad-track runabouts. Emergency escape options consisted of one Class

182 D medium-range crew escape module situated at the rear of the ship that was able to automatically navigate and land and eight Class A individual escape pods in the forward section just behind the bridge. (PR, PR:VER)

Prometheus: The Prometheus-class science vessel involved in the LV-223 incident in 2093. Full name USCSS Prometheus. Named after the Greek titan. The call sign of the ship was 130748. Was the research vessel involved in the LV-223 incident. Information about the ship's previous missions are classified, but in 2091, the Prometheus started its final mission as part of Project Prometheus, which had unearthed not only clues about the true origin of mankind, but was also able to extrapolate the location of a star system linked to this mystery from ancient Earth artifacts. On July 6, the Prometheus departed from Earth for its journey to the located system. The mission was supervised by Weyland Industries' representative Meredith Vickers while an ex-military pilot called Janek acted as the ship's captain. After two years and roughly four months of FTL travel, the ship finally reached its destination on December 21, 2093, a barren world known only as LV-223. During planetfall, sensors picked up a huge mountain, which Janek chose as an orientation for the landing. Eventually, the ship touched ground just half a mile from a giant artificial pyramid-like structure. During the following exploration of this structure by the team of scientists, the Prometheus served as a base camp from which Meredith Vickers observed the foray into the depths of the pyramid. The ground mission was cut short when a gigantic storm hit the site and the ship during nightfall. During the night, the Prometheus' medical facilities were used to examine an Engineer helmet and the head inside it. On the second day of the ground mission, the mission escalated as the endgame of the Engineers became apparent: Just as a Juggernaut vessel was about to depart for Earth in order to destroy mankind, Shaw escaped from the Pyramid and convinced Janek aboard the Prometheus to fire the ship's ion thrusters and crash it into the Juggernaut. After jettison- ing Vickers aboard an escape pod and dropping her lifeboat in order to give Vickers and Shaw a chance for survival, the Prometheus was obliterated in the collision with the Engineer vessel, successfully crippling it in the process. (PR, PR:VER)

Proserpina: A planet rich with ore. In the 24th century, mankind maintained a colony on this world. (A:OS)

Prospective Colony Permit Office: An office tasked with evaluating and granting permits for colonization offices operated by Weyland Industries in the 21st century. By the 2070s, 14 such offices were maintained by the corporation. (PR:WIW)

Pulse Power: An update to the landmark RLF energy technology introduced by Weyland Industries. Developed for massive undertakings such as large-scale terraforming and colonization, RLF reactors with Pulse Power used a series of of huge ceramic nanocomposite turbines spanning 50 meters in diameter. These turbines were built using silicon compounds mined in the Outer Veil. (PR:WIW)

Pulse Rifle: A class of weapons that fire their projectiles using electronic pulse action. An example is the iconic M41A assault rifle used by the USCM in the late 22nd century, including the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. (A2, A3, A:CMTM, A:INF)

Purvis, Larry: A male human involved in the Auriga incident. Father of two children. In 2381, Purvis decided to leave behind a failed marriage on Earth's moon and set out for a new life working at the nickle refinery on Xarem. During hypersleep, Purvis' passenger liner was hijacked by a band of smugglers led by Frank Elgyn, who transferred Purvis' cryotube along with other occupied ones to their own ship, the Betty, and proceeded to deliver them to the Auriga. Like the other passengers,

183 Purvis was subsequently impregnated with a Xenomorph embryo by the science team, and under unknown circumstances, the harness that had restrained Purvis was broken during the ensuing crisis, releasing his unconscious body to the ground. Purvis was later found and awoken by the band of survivors led by Ripley 8. The clone immediately sensed that Purvis had been impregnated, and an argument erupted among the escapees whether to leave Purvis, take him with them or just kill him. Eventually, it was decided to take him to the Betty where he could go to hypersleep until proper medical facilities were available for extracting the Xenomorph embryo. Purvis managed to reach the Betty with the rest of the group, only to be confronted by Dr. Mason Wren, the former lead scientist of the Auriga project. It was then when the embryo reached the Chestburster stage and erupted from Purvis. However, he acted quickly and took Wren with him by pulling his head to his chest, causing the Xenomorph to rip through both Purvis and Wren. (A:RES)

*** Q ***

Queen: The matriarch of the Xenomorph hive structure and the final possible stage of the basic Alien life cycle. Scientifically named as regina horribilis.

1. Anatomy

By far the largest form of the Xenomorph, a Queen spans approximately 4.5 meters in height and about eight meters in length. In basic appearance, the Queen exhibits the general structure of an adult Xenomorph, although this may, of course, depend on the kind of host DNA the organism has assimilated. It also sports many of the same anatomical features, like a black oily skin, an exoskeleton and acid blood. Furthermore, it also has the characteristic tail, an inner jaw and dorsal appendages, although each is blown up to monstrous proportions. Perhaps the most prominent feature is a huge crest covering the head. A unique deviation from the adult Xenomorph is a second, smaller pair of arms on the underside of the chest.

2. Abilities

The Queen is located at the central egg chamber of a hive, where it is attached to a stationary ovipositor, continually laying eggs and coordinating the „lesser“Xenomorphs of the hive via screams and some sort of telepathic connection which can cover great distances. As this task requires great skill, an above-average intelligence is presumed. A queen can detach from its ovipositor should circumstances require it. Its formidable strength and toughness make it a lethal opponent in combat. A queen can endure severe punishment from conventional weapons and also withstand environmental conditions that could kill a human and even an adult Xenomorph, such as vacuum, extreme cold, pressure and fire.

3. Conception

The means of creating a Queen are varied. Usually, a Xenomorph egg is infused with Royal Jelly to trigger the development of a Queen embryo inside the Facehugger. Such Queen Facehuggers then impregnate a host with the embryo from where the Queen develops to its full size in the same way as a normal adult. Another possibility is that a Warrior or Drone, when isolated from its hive long enough, mutates into a Queen and then creates its own hive. Praetorians might also develop into a Queen and are possibly a missing link between an adult Xenomorph and a Queen.

184 Queen Chestburster: A Chestburster which develops into a Queen instead of a Drone. Unlike a normal Chestburster, the Queen variant has fully-developed limbs, albeit small ones. The trademark crest of the Queen is also rudimentarily present in this stage.

Queen Facehugger: A huge variant of a Facehugger that carries a Queen embryo instead of a Drone embryo. Also known as the Super Facehugger or the Royal Facehugger. Twice as big a normal Facehugger, a Queen Facehugger partially has the trademark black skin of the Drone and the Queen and sports webbed limbs.

Quiet Eye: A video analysis software developed by Yutani Photo-Polygraph Technologies, a subdivision of the Yutani Corporation, in 2074. The Quiet Eye software is a very advanced and powerful tool, capable of identifying a person by dissecting picture elements and cross-referencing them with a dedicated database, even incorporating data such as dental records. Furthermore, the software is able to compile a psychological profile by using facial analysis. Yutani Corporation used the 4-M- 79 version of Quiet Eye to track Elisabeth Shaw's video requests for funding the expedition to LV- 223 in 2079. (PR)

Quinn: A male human and a Colonial Marine. Was killed by Xenomorphs when his squad investigated the communication breakdown on the planet Rim in the late 2170s. (A:B1 – O)

*** R ***

R-O-M Gun: Abbreviation for Range-Of-Motion Gun. A bunker-sized robot gun used by the USCM corps during the late 22nd century. Fires 30-millimeter rounds and is equipped with thermal, sonic and motion sensors for target acquisition. Wilks used an R-O-M Gun to train the USCM android squad for the Benedict mission in 2192. (A:B1 - O)

Raider 6-3: The call sign of the Cheyenne dropship piloted by Ruiz in the final assault on Weyland- Yutani during the Origin incident in late 2179. During the engagement, Raider 6-3's aft engine was damaged by enemy fire, but the ship continued to participate in the battle until it was hit and forced to go down near the landing site of the Wey-Yu FTL ship. (A:CMVG)

Raider 6-5: The call sign of the Cheyenne dropships piloted by Reid during the Origin incident in 2179. (A:CMVG)

Rains: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. Rains was killed by the Xenomorph when he was placing light sources in an abandoned part of the facility together with Golic and Boggs, who was also killed during this assignment. (A3)

Rama: A male human and one of the individuals who joined the crew of the Betty in the time between the Auriga incident in 2381 and the Domes Epsilon incident several years later to replenish the ranks of those who had died on the Auriga. Had knowledge of Esperanto. An eloquent and calm person, Rama's role in the crew was not clearly defined, but his expertise with injecting sedatives suggest that he may have been a doctor once and also served aboard the Betty in this capacity. Rama helped during the raid on Byzantium Station and was one of the crew members who stayed behind on the Betty when it was docked onto Domes Epsilon during their efforts to stop the infestation aboard the space colony. When Rama discovered that Simoni, a stowaway reporter they had picked up at Byzantium Station had followed Ripley 8 into the station, he went after him, but was killed by a Xenomorph before he could find Simoni. (A:OS)

185 Ramirez: A male-type android and crew member of the Benedict during its mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld in 2192. Ramirez was a result of a USCM project to create advanced combat androids indistinguishable from humans to facilitate their integration into military service. To this end, even the droids themselves were kept unaware of their real identity. In 2191, Ramirez's group was integrated into the USCM as First Squad, Fox Platoon, Company Able, 1st Extee Divi- sion, Second Colonial Marines. In 2192, the androids were selected to participate in the Benedict mission, an operation aimed to secure a Xenomorph specimen from the Xenomorph Homeworld. After it had been revealed that a civilian woman named Billie had been smuggled on board, Ramirez, wary of her presence, insulted Billie in the mess hall. Bueller, who was also present and had developed feelings for Billie, defended her and, when further provoked, shoved Ramirez to put him in his place. Ramirez was later destroyed during the battle on the Xenomorph Homeworld. (A:B1 – O)

Ranier: A human and a therapist. Provided counseling to a woman named Maria Gonzales, who was one of the individuals troubled by Xenomorph-related nightmares shortly before Earth's Xenomorph infestation in 2192. The log of the counseling found its way to Dr. Orona, a Xenomorph expert and GENstaff affiliate investigating the nightmares. (A:B1 – O)

Ravel: A male human who was part of the crew of the research vessel Prometheus during its mission to LV-223 which would culminate in the LV-223 incident in 2093. Together with his fellow comrade Chance, he served as a navigator under the command of the ship's captain, Janek. Ravel later sacrificed his life together with Chance and Janek, crashing the Prometheus into the departing Engineer Juggernaut in order to prevent it from reaching Earth and destroying mankind. (PR)

Raven: A unique Xenomorph specimen encountered in the ruins of Hadley's Hope on LV-426 during the Origin incident in late 2179.

1. Biology

The Raven is a frightening sight, even when compared to a Xenomorph Drone. Although the creature resembles a normal adult Xenomorph in basic anatomy, it is far larger, spanning over three meters in height. The carapace is adorned by a ridge of pointy spikes, and the front of its skull is partially exposed, revealing the rudimentary remains of the human skull – another anatomical feature the Raven shares with a Drone, where the remains are hidden behind a head dome. The rest of the body is also adorned by spiky appendages, the most striking one a barbed tail. The Raven is exclu- sively bipedal and possesses incredible strength, coupled with a highly aggressive behavior.

2. Origin

Not much can be said about the origin of the Raven or whether it is a mutation or a genuine subspecies. While the Raven was also encountered in the territory of the Boiler mutation, there seems to be no connection between the two. Its exposed front skull may point to a degenerative mutation caused by the fallout of the Atmosphere Processor's explosion, but it may also be an injury. One theory suggests that the Raven may have been a Praetorian from the original hive in Hadley's Hope that had gone feral after the death of the Queen.

186 3. Encounter during the Origin incident

The only recorded encounter with the Raven took place during the Origin incident in late 2179. USCM marine Christopher Winter stumbled upon the creature while searching the sewers of Hadley's Hope for his comrades Clarison and Reid together with Private O'Neal. The creature incapacitated Winter, bringing him to a hived section near the Boiler-infested sewers and cocooning him. While the Raven was away, Winter managed to free himself and barely escaped the Raven. However, the creature stalked the marines to the surface until it was killed by Winter, who used a Powerloader to crush the monstrous Xenomorph during a tense battle. (A:CMVG)

Ray: A male human and a member of Amy's group of survivors struggling to stay alive during the Xenomorph infestation on Earth in 2193. Accompanied Burt and Amy to the site of a rumored food drop, only to discover that the site was an ambush set up by Bug Feeders. A struggle between the two parties ensued, of which the immediate outcome is unclear. Burt later broadcast a report in which he stated that Ray was dead. The exact circumstances under which he died are unknown. (A:B2 - NA)

Rechner, D.: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident. Rank- ing Private First Class at the time of the incident, Rechner escaped the destruction in orbit to the surface of LV-426 and assembled a rag-tag band of comrades for a foray into the Weyland-Yutani research facility. The undertaking was surprisingly successful until Rechner and his team were decimated by the overwhelming firepower of incoming enemy Smart Gun operators. (A:CMVG)

Red: A male human working as a vice president for the Bionational corporation. Together with his colleague Green, he initiated and prepared Operation Outreach in 2192, which aimed at obtaining a Xenomorph specimen from its homeworld. After a Xenomorph Queen held by Bionational in its Lima facility on Earth had escaped and a global Xenomorph infestation was underway, Red, Green and Dr. Dryner, the man responsible for the Queen, met with Dr. Orona, a representative of Earth Gov, to discuss containment measures. (A:B1 – O)

Regina horribilis: The scientific name for the Queen subspecies of the Xenomorph organism. Translates to “horrible queen”.

Rehab: A fully isolated wing of the research facilities on Third Base. Equipped for repairing and retrofitting androids. Persons who wanted to enter the Rehab section had to undergo Delousing and wear a Spray-suit. During the Spears incident in 2193, android Mitch Bueller was brought to Rehab where he was retrofitted with a bipedal walking frame. (A:B2 - NA)

Requist: A star system. A prison world designated as Detention Planet 27 is situated in the Requist system. (KAF)

Reid, Lisa: A female human and a member of the USCM corps. A gifted dropship pilot and communications specialist. Was ranked Lieutenant by 2179 and was involved in the Origin incident in the same year.

1. Deployment over LV-426

After the USS Sephora had returned to the USS Sulaco on December 14th, 2179, Reid was among the group of marines deployed to react to the crisis aboard the Sulaco involving Rhino 2-3. During

187 the briefing, Reid voiced her suspicions about the Sulaco's presence over LV-426, but nevertheless performed her duties as a recon pilot. Piloting the Cheyenne designated Raider 6-5, Reid performed damage assessment on the Umbilical, which had been ruptured by an explosive decompression incident on the Sulaco. She later transferred the commander of the mission, Lieutenant Cruz, to the Su- laco aboard her dropship, performing a hot landing inside a cargo bay after the vessel's hangar had been incapacitated. Subsequently, Reid helped defending the bay against attacking Weyland-Yutani PMCs and successfully evacuated the survivors after a mission to save the Sulaco and the Sephora had ended in disaster. During the escape, her dropship got hit by debris and she was forced to perform a crash landing on the surface of LV-426.

2. Mission to the comm relay

After regrouping at Hadley's Hope, Cruz ordered Reid and another marine named Clarison to establish a long-wave signal at the colony's comm relay to recall all surviving Sephora marines. Shortly after, the connection with Reid and Clarison was severed due to a power overload in the main systems, and two marines named Winter and O'Neal were sent after them to ensure their mission. Meanwhile, Reid and Clarison had made it to the surface, only to be pinned down by Xenomorphs. The creatures separated the two and kidnapped Reid, but Winter, O'Neal and Clarison arrived shortly after and managed to save her. With the support of her comrades, Reid completed the mission and successfully activated the relay. However, when O'Neil went missing during the way back to the command center, Reid found herself at odds with Clarison when she insisted to leave O'Neal behind. After Reid had unsuccessfully tried to pull rank, she reluctantly joined Winter and Clarison on their rescue attempt. After O'Neal had been found and the team had temporarily averted the immediate threat, tension between Reid and Clarison rose even higher, resulting in Clarison pointing her gun at Reid. An escalation was barely avoided thanks to the intervention of Winter and O'Neal, and the group returned to the command center.

3. The final assault

When Cruz authorized a rescue mission for Clarison, Reid, feeling regret, wanted to join the mission, but her request was denied by Cruz, who did not want to risk his only pilot. After Hicks had been freed from Weyland-Yutani captivity, Cruz ordered him and Reid to evacuate outside the colony aboard an APC. However, the two had different plans: Reid and Hicks instead made their way to a nearby landing pad to prep another dropship for launch. After fending off a Xenomorph attack on the colony, Cruz, Winter and O'Neal arrived at the landing pad, enabling Reid to finish the final preparations despite a Xenomorph onslaught. During the final assault on the Weyland-Yutani facility, Reid accompanied the USCM ground forces in her Cheyenne to provide air support. When Winter discovered that the Company was evacuating the Queen to the FTL landing site aboard a cargo lifter, Reid pursued the lifter in order to take it down, but was met with heavy artillery fire by anti-air turrets. Despite taking considerable damage, Reid managed to hold on until her comrades on the ground destroyed the anti-air gun emplacements and was able to shoot down the cargo lifter in time. Reid continued to fly air support and performed an unsuccessful attack run against the Queen, which had survived the crash. When the ground team failed to reach the FTL ship in time, Reid picked up Cruz and the group of marines accompanying him and went after the vessel in hot pursuit. In a daring maneuver, Reid shot the cargo bay of the FTL ship open and managed to crash-land the Cheyenne inside the frigate. Reid survived the final confrontation with the Queen and secured the ship with her comrades, intent on using the information gathered from Michael Weyland to bring down the company. (A:CMVG)

188 Reine, Louis: A human male working for Bionational as vice-president of the Biomed Division. Was involved in the events surrounding the beginning of the Xenomorph infestation on Earth in 2192, which would become known as the Earth War. While Reine never acquired a doctorate, he was a capable man, obtaining an M.D. and a T.A.S. qualification. Working for Bionational, he assumed the role of a company man and became vice- president of the corporation's Biomed Division. In 2192, when Bionational retrieved James T. Likowski and the Xenomorph embryo gestating inside and transferred him to its Houston facility, Reine was put in charge of the medical supervision of Likowski and the eventual retrieval of the Xenomorph embryo. He shared responsibilities with a brilliant scientist named Tobias Dryner, who was in charge of the patient himself. When the embryo finally matured and emerged, it attacked Reine and burrowed inside his chest. Dryner shot Reine in order to secure the specimen. Reine, and the creature inside him, were then brought to the Lima facility where the specimen developed to a Queen. (A:B1 - O)

Renus, Wolfgang R.: A male human and a USCM soldier stationed at Third Base during the Spears incident in 2193. Ranking Private First Class at the time, Renus was the ringleader of a small group of soldiers planning to flee Spears' reign of terror and escape to the nearby terraformer colony. Dur- ing the escape, Renus was the one who knocked fellow comrade Patin, the soldier who had guard duty at South Lock at the time, unconscious. Upon arrival at the colony, the group discovered that Spears had set up the colony as a secondary breeding stock for the Xenomorphs. A vicious attack by the resident Drones followed, during which all of Renus' co-conspirators were killed. Renus managed to survive with heavy injuries, only to run into Spears and his team, who had learned of the desertion and caught up with the dissidents. As punishment for his treachery, Spears threw Renus back into the hive and locked him in. (A:N2 - NA)

Retinal Switch: See Eye-Box (A:B1 – O)

Retro drive: A term describing thrusters used to propel a spaceship forward at sub-light velocity in normal space.

Rex: A black Labrador involved in the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid-80s of the 24th century. Originally owned by the colonist Colin Hamilton-Cross. When Hamilton-Cross died of a heart attack, the rest of the staff took care of Rex. Due to the fact that the colonists were mostly busy with work, they set the doors to allow Rex to roam freely through the Domes, which he gladly did. When the Domes Epsilon incident began, this leniency backfired as the Domes were now open for the Xenomorphs, too. Ripley eventually stumbled over Rex on her way back to the Betty and took him aboard with her. Together with Angela Philipakos, Rex remained as the only survivor of the incident. (A:OS)

Rhino 2-1: The call sign of a team of marines from the USS Sephora involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Notable members of the group were Private Peter O'Neal and marines Paluski, Hernandez, Tanaka, O'Reilly, Romerio and Tolentino. Rhino 2-1 boarded the USS Sulaco during the beginning of the Origin incident on December 14, 2179. When the Xenomorphs attacked, Rhino 2-1 retreated to the airlock of the Sulaco. After fending off the creatures, most of the team were dead or injured, leaving only O'Neal and Paluski in fighting condition, who tended to their injured comrades until reinforcements arrived in the form of Corporal Winter. Paluski died when the Umbilical was destroyed and opened the antechamber to vacuum. Only O'Neal and Winter survived the disaster, with the other members of Rhino 2-1 unaccounted for. (A:CMVG)

189 Rhino 2-3: The call sign of a team of marines from the USS Sephora involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Known members of the team were Clarison, Keyes and Garnett. After the Sephora had arrived in orbit of LV-426, Team Rhino 2-3 was ordered to board the Sulaco and retrieve the ship's flight recorder. Upon entering the vessel, the team was decimated by Xenomorphs, causing the remaining marines to retreat to engineering. However, the creatures quickly overwhelmed them, taking the rest of the squad to a hived section of life support and im- pregnating them. (A:CMVG)

Rhino Alien: A Xenomorph breed originating from a rhinoceros or a rhinoceros-like creature.

Rim: A barren planet serving as a human colony world in the late 22nd century. Home to a geological formation named the Valley of the Iron Fingers. It was there that the colonists found a crashed Mala'kak vessel which carried Xenomorph eggs. The Xenomorphs quickly infested the colony until it was destroyed during the Rim incident in the late 2170s. (A:B1 – O)

Rim incident: A Xenomorph infestation of the human colony on the planet Rim and the USCM mission that followed the loss of contact. Took place in the late 2170s, occurring around the same time as the similar Hadley's Hope incident. Only survivors were Corporal Wilks and a civilian girl named Billie, who would become key players in the liberation of Earth in the 2190s.

1. Origin and infestation

At an unknown point in time, a Mala'kak vessel carrying Xenomorph eggs crash-landed on Rim, plumetting into a geological information called the Valley of the Iron Fingers. In the late 2170s, a civilian party of explorers, led a man named Russ and his family – including a young daughter named Billie – undertook an expedition into the region of the Valley. Soon, they found the wreckage of the Mala'kak vessel there. The adult members proceeded to investigate the interior of the vessel, while Billie and her brother stayed behind inside the scout hopper. Inside the wreckage, the civilians discovered the Xenomorph eggs and became impregnated. The infestation quickly spread over to the colony and consumed the entire population save for Billie.

2. USCM investigation

Eventually, the communication breakdown with Rim caused the authorities to dispatch a USCM squadron to investigate the Rim colony. Upon arrival, the soldiers discovered Billie, who had managed to survive the Alien onslaught. Soon, the marines learned of the Xenomorph presence and that the massacre of the colony at the hands of these creatures was the cause for the communications breakdown. One creature snuck into the USCM dropship as it was about to take off and killed the pilot. The dropship crashed onto the surface, leaving the remaining squad members stranded on Rim. Eventually, a single marine called Wilks managed to escape from Rim together with Billie shortly before the colony was destroyed, an event which eradicated the Xenomorph presence on the planet. The cause for the destruction is unknown. Some sources claim it was a nuclear accident while other accounts state that it was the deployment of a high-ordinance bomb.

3. Aftermath

The delicate nature of the alleged existence of a Xenomorph and the fact that a very similar incident had happened on LV-426 prompted the military to classify the whole affair as top secret. While hav-

190 ing escaped the Xenomorph horror, both Wilks and Billie were left scarred by the events. Billie was mind-wiped and transferred to the planet Ferro, were she lived with relatives for several years. Un- fortunately, the mind wipe was not entirely successful, as Billie began to experience nightmares of the Rim incident. Fearing a mental breakdown, Billie underwent stationary psychiatric treatment and was eventually transferred to Earth in 2182, where she was admitted to the Feildcrest Home mental ward. Wilks fared not much better: Isolated from his comrades due to fear of infection from his contact with the Xenomorphs, he went on a downward spiral into alcoholism, violence and drug addiction. However, these two unlikely heroes would eventually play a vital role in the liberation of Earth from the Xenomorph during the 2190s. (A:B1 – O)

Ripley 8: A clone of Ellen Ripley created in 2381 as part of the USM black ops project operating aboard the research vessel Auriga. Ripley 8 was the eighth and only completely successful attempt at cloning Ripley in order to retrieve the Queen embryo that was replicated with her. As soon as the clone had grown to maturity, the scientists wasted no time removing the embryo inside her and put the clone into a holding cell while they concentrated their efforts to cultivate a Xenomorph for research purposes. On the outside, Ripley 8 appeared to be completely human (save for rudimentary dorsal tubes which were surgically removed at the first opportunity). On the inside, however, things were different: The merging with Xenomorph DNA during the cloning caused Ripley 8 to have a weaker form of the creature's acidic blood, superhuman strength and agility and a heightened perception which included the ability to sense the Queen aboard the Auriga when near her. At the beginning of her adult existence, Ripley appeared emotionally disconnected, almost autistic although memories of her old self preserved in the Alien DNA inside her was still existent and managed to trigger an emotional response when provoked. However, Ripley 8 was in constant conflict with the Xenomorph part of her personality, sometimes causing violent reactions toward the scientists who dealt with her. Her matured consciousness sported a cynical personality, only barely resembling the personality of the original Ripley.

1. The Auriga incident

Soon after, Ripley 8 received an unexpected visitor in her cell: Call, who had gained access to the Auriga by enlisting for smuggling duties aboard the Betty. Ripley foiled her attempt to kill her and advised her to leave her cell before the breach would be discovered only moments before USM soldiers arrived to take Call into custody. During the Xenomorph outbreak and the ensuing evacuation, Ripley escaped her cell and joined up with the remaining smugglers in order to escape the Auriga. A fragile alliance was formed, constantly endangered by distrust due to her questionable loyalties. During the escape, Ripley discovered the first 7 failed attempts to clone her preserved in stasis tubes, an encounter which deeply disturbed and troubled her and that ended with Ripley 8 destroying the clones along with one still alive, who begged Ripley 8 to kill her. She then proceeded through the flooded kitchen with the rest of the group and when Call was revealed to be an android, she found herself to be of like minds with the young woman, who was also struggling to be human in spite of herself. Ripley 8 developed a friendship with Call and eventually came to the same conclusion as Call: The Xenomorphs had to be eradicated. She convinced Call to hook up to the Auriga and set the ship on a self-destruct course to Earth. During a mad dash to cover the last yards to the Betty, Ripley was abducted by the Xenomorph and taken to the Queen's hive. There, she witnessed the birth of the Newborn before managing to reach the Betty just before take-off and helping Vriess in navigating the ship to safe distance. Subsequently, Ripley confronted the stowaway Newborn in the docking bay of the Betty and killed it by corroding a nearby viewport with her blood, causing the creature to be sucked into space piece by piece. Although Ripley momentarily felt regret for

191 dooming the creature who had seen her as its mother, Ripley 8 had come to choose her human half, wondering about what the future on Earth might have in store for her together with Call.

2. Pursuing Loki

After landing on Earth, Ripley 8 and Johner, Vriess and Call enjoyed a break from their struggle against the Xenomorph – a break that would be brief. Call informed Ripley 8 of another discovery she had made when she had hacked into the systems of the Ministry of Defense, traces of a mysterious organization within EarthGov which she had dubbed Loki that seemed to be connected to the Alien. Following the footsteps of her original template, Ripley 8 decided to continue the fight and rallied Call and the rest behind her cause, who also quickly accepted her as the new captain of the Betty. Over the following years, Ripley 8 and the crew of the Betty, among them three new crew members to replace those lost on the Auriga, raided about a dozen trading stations in the border regions of known space and hacked into the mainframes of the facilities in order to gain more information about Loki's master plan. It soon became apparent that Loki entertained dealings with the Space Jockey race, or Mala'kak, dating back to the Nostromo incident; in fact, it had been Loki who had given Weyland-Yutani the information which caused the incident in the first place. It was on Byzantium Station that Call finally caught up with Loki and found out that it had targeted a space station called Domes Epsilon for Xenomorph infestation. Ripley 8 wasted no time and retreated Byzantium Station together with her comrades and set course to Domes Epsilon in order to foil Loki's plans. However, Ripley 8 had attracted the attention of a reporter called Simoni, who finally found her on Byzantium Station and boarded the Betty as a stowaway. After he had been discovered, Ripley was about to have him thrown out of the airlock when she learned about his profession. As the daughter of the original Ripley had also been a reporter, Ripley 8, curious to learn more about the memories genetically imprinted on her, decided to keep him alive and in turn revealed some of the information she had about Loki and its role in the Nostromo incident.

3. The Domes Epsilon incident

Only slightly delayed by a Loki strike force, the Betty soon arrived at Domes Epsilon. As soon as the ship got within communications range, Ripley 8 contacted the station, warning Philipakos, the administrator of Domes Epsilon, about the imminent threat and demanded access. As one of the staff members had already had a fatal encounter with a Xenomorph Egg, he reluctantly agreed, but was foiled by sabotage aboard the station. Ripley 8 now had no other option but to force her entry in order to stop the Xenomorph. She and Call, Johner and Krakke boarded the station and were soon greeted by Philipakos, who led them into the control center. With some effort, Ripley 8 convinced the staff to evacuate and departed with Johner to check the backup bay as the main bay was no longer accessible. After securing the backup bay, Ripley encountered the adult Xenomorph and killed it together with Johner. However, after returning to the command center, Ripley 8 learned that no less than a dozen creatures were discovered aboard Domes Epsilon. Ripley 8 made a break for the backup bay together with the other survivors, only to be ambushed by Xenomorph Warriors. The group scattered through the jungle, and many fell victim to the creatures. Aware that the backup bay had been sabotaged and knowing that her plan for a controlled retreat had failed, Ripley 8 set off for the Betty, picking up Angie, Philipakos' daughter, on the way. Later on the way, she discovered a scared and confused Simoni, who confessed to her that a crew member of hers, Rama, had been killed because of his sneaking into the station. This revelation was met with anger and disap- pointment by Ripley, merely tolerating his presence on her trip back to the ship. Soon after, however, Ripley was caught by surprise by an attacking Xenomorph, only to be saved by Simoni, who sacrificed himself in the process. Eventually Ripley 8 managed to safely return to the Betty with

192 Johner, Krakke, Call and the two only survivors from the station's staff, Angie and a dog called Rex. Soon after, Ripley interrogated Cody, a surviving colonist who had been revealed to be an android sent and programmed by Loki to aid in the infestation of Domes Epsilon. It was then that she learned of the full extent of Loki's dealings and the endgame of the Mala'kak. After leaving behind and destroying the station and accepting Angie as a new crew member, Ripley 8 was filled with a new resolve to stop Loki from unleashing the Xenomorph on the galaxy. (A:RES, A:OS)

Ripley, Amanda: A female human and daughter of Ellen Ripley. Born on June 24, 2111. Amanda suffered the loss of her mother at the age of 11 when Ellen Ripley failed to return to Earth aboard the Nostromo. She later married under the name McClaren, although she would not have children during her lifetime. Amanda Ripley at one time worked as a reporter and eventually died of cancer on December 23, 2177. She was subsequently cremated and interred at Parkside Repository, Little Chute, Wisconsin, just two years before her mother would be salvaged from 57 years of hypersleep. (A2, A:OS)

Ripley, Ellen L.: A human female who played a most pivotal role in humanity's struggle against the Xenomorph. Descendant of Dr. Daniel Ripley and mother of Amanda Ripley. Survivor of the Nos- tromo and the Hadley's Hope incidents.

1. Early life

Ellen Ripley was born on January 7, 2092 in Olympia, Luna colonies. At the age of 19, on June 24, 2111, Ripley gave birth to a girl named Amanda. Almost four years later, she graduated from Evans- brook Academy with excellent marks on May 25, 2115 and was subsequently recruited into the “Horizons Beyond“ officer training program, a program which had been founded by the Weyland- Yutani Corporation. During the course of the program, Ripley managed to negotiate an end to a hostage crisis aboard the Weyland-Yutani shuttle Erebus without bloodshed. A year later, in 2116, Ripley completed the “Horizons Beyond“ program with accolades. In 2117, Ripley got her first job as a Junior Warrant Officer aboard the cargo vessel USCSS Kurtz, followed by an assignment as a Warrant Officer aboard the Weyland-Yutani cargo vessel USCSS Sephoria later that year. Two years later, in 2119, Ripley accepted an assignment aboard another Weyland-Yutani cargo vessel, the USCSS Sotillo. However, it was not until August 10, 2120, when Ripley joined the crew of the USCSS Nostromo, when she would embark on the journey that would change her life forever.

2. The Nostromo incident

In 2122, the Nostromo was returning to Earth, ferrying a massive amount of ore it had loaded on the mining colony of Thedus, when its sensors picked up what seemed to be a distress signal. The ship's computer, MOTHER, seemingly following official protocol, dropped back to sublight speed, set course towards the source of the signal and woke the crew from hypersleep. As Ripley and the crew soon found out, the signal was of nonhuman origin and emanating from the planetoid LV-426 in the Zeta II Reticuli system. The Nostromo detached itself from the ore refinery that it was towing and landed on LV-426. While Dallas, Lambert and Kane went to investigate the source of the signal, Ripley stayed behind on the ship with Ash, Parker and Brett, continuing to examine the alien signal. Eventually, Ripley came to the conclusion that the signal may also have been a warning. Shortly after, the team returned from its exploration of the alien derelict, with a Facehugger attached to Kane's face. Ash was quick to answer Dallas' plea to open the airlock, in spite of Ripley's objections based on quarantine procedures and the potential dangers of allowing an alien organism into the ship. In the end, Ash ignored her warning and opened the airlock.

193 It was only after the Xenomorph had been unleashed aboard the Nostromo and killed three of Rip- ley's crew members that she found out the truth about the signal and Ash's motivation. Both MOTHER and Ash, who turned out to be an android, had secretly been working on orders of Wey- land-Yutani. The corporation, which had had knowledge of the derelict's existence some time before the Nostromo picked up the signal, wanted to secure a Xenomorph specimen for their bio-weapon research division. It was Ash himself who, after he had made an unsuccessful attempt on Ripley's life and had been subdued, revealed this information to the remaining crew members. Ripley, Parker and Lambert decided to set the ship on self-destruct and escape in the emergency shuttle Narcissus. In the end, however, only Ripley survived long enough to reach the shuttle and flee. After Ripley had blown the adult Xenomorph, which had also managed to escape as a stowaway, out of the shuttle's airlock, she set course to Earth and went into hypersleep.

3. Lost and found

It was not until 57 years later, in the year 2179, that the Narcissus would eventually be found drifting through the core systems by a salvage crew. Ripley was brought aboard Gateway Station in Earth's orbit, where she recovered from the strains of the extremely long hypersleep period. It was then when she first met Carter Burke, a representative of Weyland-Yutani. After her release from hospital, Ripley had to answer for her actions during the Nostromo incident before a committee. During this inquiry, Ripley unsuccessfully tried to convince the suits of the existence of the Xenomorph and Weyland-Yutani's intention to obtain it and was stripped of her officer license. Af- ter the verdict, Van Leuwen, the chairman of the committee, informed her that LV-426 had been colonized for 20 years without any disturbance. Frustrated by these events and devastated by the fact that her daughter Amanda had died two years earlier, she had to settle for a low-paid job in the cargo docks over Portside.

4. The Hadley's Hope incident

However, the past quickly caught up with Ripley when Carter Burke visited her, reporting that contact to LV-426 had been lost. Motivated to overcome her recurring nightmares from the traumatic events on the Nostromo, Ripley reluctantly agreed to his request to accompany an investigation party to LV-426 in the capacity of an adviser. This party would consist of a squad of Colonial Marines, Burke and herself...and Bishop, an android and an addition to the roster that was met with great dislike by Ripley, the experiences with Ash still fresh in mind. When Ripley and the marines reached LV-426 aboard the Sulaco, they found the colony, called Hadley's Hope, seemingly abandoned. As the group continued to explore the colony complex, more and more findings suggested that the colony had indeed been wiped out by the Xenomorph. After finding the sole survivor of the colony's population, a girl called Newt, the marines set up temporary headquarters in the command section of the colony. Using Hadley's mainframe to track down the PDTs of the colonists, the marines were directed to the third sub-level of the Atmosphere Pro- cessor near Hadley's Hope. As the soldiers explored the bowels of the station, they discovered an organic structure spreading over the entire sub-level. They were already deep inside what turned out to be the Xenomorph hive when the attack started. Ripley was forced to watch from the APC outside as a combination of squad leader Gorman's incompetence and a vicious ambush by adult Xenomorphs led to the slaughtering and capturing of several marines. In a desperate attempt to rescue what was left of the squad, Ripley overwhelmed Gorman and drove the APC down the loading access into the hive, managing to evacuate the remaining soldiers. In the aftermath, Ripley, aware of the incredible danger emanating from what might have been over a hundred Xenomorphs, voted for nuking the entire complex from orbit. Burke, concerned about the loss of the colony and, in secret,

194 also the Xenomorph, strongly disagreed, but was outvoted by Corporal Hicks, the de-facto mission leader at that time. The dropship took off for a swift evacuation, but crashed down and exploded when a Xenomorph, which had infiltrated the craft while it was on the ground, killed Ferro, the pilot. For all intents and purposes, Ripley, Newt, Burke and the marines were now stranded on LV- 426. Worn out both physically and mentally, Ripley and the marines withdrew and regrouped at the temporary headquarters, only to discover that the Atmosphere Processor's cooling system had been damaged during the fight on Sub-Level 3 and that, consequently, the reactor would explode in less than five hours, taking everything in a forty-mile radius with it. Relatively calm in the face of a nearly hopeless situation, she devised a plan on how to call down the second dropship in time to use it to reach minimum safe distance and also played a vital role in planning out the defense perimeter for the headquarters. It was during that time when she not only developed an affection for Hicks, but also took on the role of a surrogate mother for Newt. Burke, however, had other plans for Ripley and Newt: He freed two Facehuggers they had found contained in stasis tubes in the medical station, hoping to get them impregnated and to be be able to smuggle a Xenomorph inside them around ICC customs back to Earth. Burke's attempt was foiled, and it was during his interrogation when, suddenly, the power to the control station went out. Soon after, the headquarters came under attack by hordes of Xenomorphs. During a mad dash to the dropship, several other members of the squad got killed, and Newt was captured and taken to the Xenomorph hive inside the Atmosphere processor. Ripley would not leave without the girl, and so, she, the android Bishop and Hicks, the squad's only survivor, flew to the processor station to rescue Newt. With only several minutes left, Ripley raided the hive, confronting the queen in the process, and managed to free Newt and escape, just seconds before the reactor exploded. However, the Xenomorph Queen had managed to get aboard the Sulaco and, after ripping Bishop in half, confronted Ripley for a last showdown. Ripley was able to enter a Powerloader to get on even ground with the monstrous creature and finally blew the Queen out of an airlock. The nightmare was over, for now. During these climatic events, Ripley had developed feelings of respect and friendship for Bishop, thanks to whom both Newt and Ripley were still alive at all. After setting course back to Earth, Ripley, Newt and Hicks entered hypersleep.

5. Stranded on Fury 16

It was during the flight back home, when events transpired that would ultimately seal Ellen Ripley's fate. Unnoticed, several Xenomorph eggs had been smuggled aboard the Sulaco. The Facehuggers hatched and impregnated Ripley in her cryogenic tube. In the process of cracking the glass tube, one of the creatures was injured. Quickly, the acid blood ate through electronic systems of the ship, trig- gering an automatic emergency ejection of the hypersleep tubes aboard an EEV. During that time, the Sulaco was passing by the remote planet Fiorina 161, nicknamed „Fury 16“. The EEV was pulled in by the planet's gravity and crashed down into the ocean near a coastline. Unbeknownst to Ripley, the inhospitable planet she was stranded on was home to a former metal foundry turned prison facility operated by Weyland-Yutani, a facility which was reserved for only male criminals. Ripley and her crashed EEV were salvaged from the coastline and brought into the prison complex. When she came to in the hospital ward, she awoke to a dangerous world inhabited by murderers and rapists. But her final ordeal was only about to start: After recovery, Ripley was shocked to learn that Newt and Hicks had not survived the crash. After discovering an acid burn mark on the EEV, the horrible possibility that she might have brought a Xenomorph as a stowaway with her dawned on Ripley. With the assistance of the resident doctor Clemens, Ripley immediately arranged an autopsy of Newt, which proved to be inconclusive. Distrusting the facility's administrator Andrews, she kept her suspicions to herself. However, Ripley had been right from the start: The

195 Facehugger had survived the crash and infected the dog of one of the prisoners, and while she attended the funeral of Newt and Hicks in the furnace, the dog perished, giving birth to a Xenomorph, which disappeared into the vast bowels of the facility. Meanwhile, Ripley tried to get used to the unfamiliar surroundings she was forced to cope with until a vessel would arrive to pick her up. During that time, she formed an uneasy acquaintance with the prisoner Dillon, who had made a moving elegy during the funeral and was some sort of reli- giously backed authority figure among the prisoners. However, the relative calmness would not last long: Alarmed by a mysterious freak accident that got one of the prisoners killed, Ripley went out on her own to the scrapyard, retrieving the remains of Bishop from the shuttle wreckage. His report confirmed what she had feared from the beginning: the presence of an Alien in the escape vehicle and Weyland-Yutani's knowledge of it. On her way back, a couple of prisoners ambushed Ripley and were about to rape her, when Dillon interfered and saved her from his fellow inmates. Back in the main complex, Ripley finally tried to warn Andrews, who did not believe her story and confined her to the medical wing. Suddenly, the Alien appeared in the ward and killed Clemens, with whom Ripley had a brief sexual relationship. Ripley ran to the mess hall to warn the other prisoners. An- drews, who was present at that moment, ignored her warnings, only to be taken by the Alien in front of all prisoners.

6. Final battle and the ultimate sacrifice

Now the existence of a Xenomorph on Fury 16 was an indisputable fact. Holding a crisis meeting, Ripley, Dillon and the prisoners realized that they were in a dire situation: The facility had no weapons or usable equipment whatsoever, and the security surveillance had been out of order for some time. With the help of the prisoners, Ripley devised a bold plan: In a joint effort, they tried to lure the Alien into a massive vault used for nuclear waste and lock it in there. Due to the interference of the Alien, the plan backfired and the fire which was supposed to drive the Alien into the vault was triggered prematurely, costing the lives of many prisoners. The Alien was captured, only to be freed again by the insane prisoner Golic. In the aftermath of the disaster, Ripley again visited the EEV to find out the cause for a fatigue that had slowly increased during her time at Fury 16. The on-board medical scanner confirmed her worst suspicions: Ripley had been impregnated with a Xenomorph embryo while in hypersleep, and now, an Alien Queen was gestating to maturity in her chest. Knowing that Weyland-Yutani would try to get hold of the specimen and was already on its way to Fury 16, Ripley convinced the prisoners to commence a last-ditch effort to destroy the Alien. The idea was to drive the Alien into the mold of the facility's furnace and to kill the creature by pouring liquid metal over it. Ripley knew that the Alien would not kill her because of the Queen embryo inside her, and she played a key role in luring the Alien into the trap. Most of the prisoners were killed during the bait and chase, but thanks to Dillon's sacrifice, Ripley succeeded in trapping and killing the Alien. Aware that there was one last thing to do, Ripley prepared to commit suicide and thus taking the Queen embryo with her, when a Weyland-Yutani squad arrived at the furnace. The squad was led by Michael Bishop, who tried to convince her that his intention was solely to surgically extract the embryo and then destroy it. Ripley saw through the deception and let herself fall into the furnace pit, killing herself and the Queen.

7. Post mortem

While Ripley's fight and demise did not become common knowledge, her fate was a point of interest among several key individuals. The most notorious was the Book of Morse, an account of the Fury 16 incident written by the sole survivor of the events. The book was immediately banned, but

196 copies would remain in circulation at least until the late 24th century. High-echelon militarists like Thomas A.W. Spears and Martin Perez would study Ripley's struggle to gain insights for their own dealings with the Xenomorph. Low-ranking personnel, on the other hand were kept in the dark. However, at the least the rumor that Ripley had survived the Hadley's Hope incident was leaked by an employee of an Earth-based biotech company and reached USCM personnel. The leak of further information was severely impaired when many related records were lost during the Xenomorph infestation in the 2190s. (A1, A2, A3)

RLF: Abbreviation for Raw Lambda Infusion. Describes a revolutionary type of fusion technology introduced by Weyland Industries in 2029. RLF technology updated existing cold fusion with unique raw energy releasing characteristics. RLF posed a significant advancement for human technology and facilitated the development and introduction of landmark technology such as FTL travel and next-generation Atmosphere Processors. Of course, the RL fusion was also a major financial success for Weyland Industries, causing a 27 percent boost in employment for its energy department. By 2031, the advent of RLF reactors had doubled the profits and holdings of Weyland Energy investors. The technology was updated in the 2070s with a Pulse Power feature for massive energy requirements. (PR:WIW)

RM: The abbreviation for “Regular Marine”. (A:B2 - NA)

Roberts: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in 2179. Roberts escaped the destruction in orbit of LV-426 to participate in the final assault on the Weyland- Yutani research station. (A:CMVG)

Romerio: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines from the USS Sephora involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Romerio participated in the initial foray into the USS Sulaco as a member of team Rhino 2-1. Upon arrival, the squad was attacked by Xenomorphs, and Romerio was severely injured during the encounter. Romerio managed to retreat back to the airlock with the other survivors, but his final fate is unknown. (A:CMVG)

Rook: A Bishop-type android assigned to the USS Sephora as Lieutenant Cruz's mission operator, technical adviser and assistant during the Origin incident in late 2179. Rook performed the medical checkup on Corporal Winter after his cryosleep and later accompanied Cruz when he transferred command to the Sulaco. Rook provided vital information and mission updates to Winter, O'Neal and Clarison during their futile attempt to stop the Sulaco's attack on the Sephora and also during their subsequent retreat to the dropship. In the meantime, Rook had deduced the Xenomorph life cycle from mission data and informed Cruz that Private Clarison had been impregnated with a Xenomorph embryo and would die before long. After the landing on LV-426, Rook revealed this shocking news to Clarison. Rook accompanied Cruz and the rest of the marines to Hadley's Hope and assisted in setting up a perimeter and reactivating the computer systems and power supply. Rook would continue to provide mission support during the later stages of the Origin incident. When Winter and the others eventually confronted Michael Weyland, Bishop managed to talk O'Neal out of killing Weyland, only to witness Hicks performing the execution. When Weyland was revealed to be an android, Rook realized that this was a special model and offered to extract information from the android's data bank by hooking up a direct connection between their two brains. Rook succeeded in retrieving vital information, providing the survivors of the Origin incident with a chance to bring down Weyland-Yutani. (A:CMVG)

197 Room 4017: Billie's room at the Feildcrest Home mental ward. Located on the fortieth floor of the highrise. (A:B1 – O)

Rossi, Jamie: A female human and a nanotechnologist working for Weyland Industries. Began work at the biomedical field office on Luna in 2070. In early 2075, Rossi proposed a research project for creating synthetic muscles. The project was authorized and funded soon after. Later that year, Rossi participated in a promotional video for Weyland Industries, recounting the successful and quick funding of her project. (PR:WIW)

Roth, Gershom: A male human working for Weyland-Yutani at a research station on C-3 L/M in the early thirties of the 23rd century. Was responsible for the geology department, but also acted as head of security and the facility's cook. Was reassigned and replaced in 2232 as part of Weyland- Yutani's efforts to root out a spy at the station. (A:NE)

Royal Facehugger: An alternate term describing the Queen Facehugger.

RT01 Group Transport: A wheeled all-terrain transport vehicle developed by Weyland Industries in 2051. Was designed to offer tremendous cargo and passenger capacities. Several RT01s were aboard the USCSS Prometheus and used on LV-223 during the Prometheus mission in 2093. The RT01 sported an eight-wheel setup supported by a slip axle suspension and spread over a wheelbase of 5.6 meters. The chassis was outfitted with a titanium-alloy coated armor. The wheel system featured a shape-memory alloy and was equipped with nano-reinforced hard composite threads able to endure temperatures of up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. The vehicle was powered by a ceramic gas turbine engine capable of a thrust of 0.4 million pounds, thus providing almost unlimited cargo weight capacity. The interior provided room for up to 20 occupants. Features included a satellite-linked maintenance system, a reinforced touchscreen blast shield and front-mounted ultra bright bio-LEDs for illumination. Sensor options included dedicated detectors for carbon matter while communications were handled over an integrated bio-nomic telecom unit. (PR, PR:MSN, PR:WIW)

Ruby Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-812.03. Established in 2068, Ruby Colony would sport a population of 2.3 million by the year 2071. The colony was notable for being the largest starport in the Outer Veil during the latter half of the 21st century. Ruby Colony also featured a prolific spacecraft manufacturing and maintenance industry, with further sectors dedicated to mining and refining. Key resources were tungsten, molybdenite and water. (PR:WIW)

Ruiz: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Trained as a dropship pilot. Ruiz escaped the destruction in orbit and participated in the final assault on the Weyland-Yutani research base aboard Raider 6-3. During the battle, Ruiz's dropship was hit and forced to crash land at the loading docks near the FTL ship. Soon after, Ruiz was rescued by Cruz and the other marines spearheading the ground forces. Ruiz then boarded Raider 6-5 with his rescuers to catch up with the departing FTL ship, but his final fate is unknown. (A:CMVG)

Rule 1492: A law made by the Telecommunications and Standardization Governing Body which specified the requirements and restrictions of communications technology and software. Among the products that were released in compliance with Rule 1492 was the Internet Explorer technology. (PR:WIW)

198 Runner: A variant of a Xenomorph Drone bred from small animals such as dogs and cats. Like its host, the Runner mainly moves on all fours and features digigrade hind legs. It also lacks the dorsal tubes of its human-bred counterpart. The Xenomorph involved in the Fury 16 incident in 2179 was a Runner. (A3)

Russ: A male human. Husband of Sarah and father of Billie and Vick. Considering himself to be a pioneer at heart, Russ and his family moved to the planet Rim to help set up a terraforming colony. During the voyage to the colony, his daughter Billie was born. For the following six years, Russ and his family lived a hard, but uneventful life on Rim. In the late 2170s, unusual readings located in the Valley of the Iron Fingers prompted Russ, who hoped to find unknown riches, to mount an expedition. Accompanied by his family and his assistant, Gene Zendall, Russ traveled to the Valley, where the group discovered a crashed Mala'kak ship. Together with his wife and Zendall, Russ proceeded to explore the wreckage. Upon discovering the Xenomorph eggs inside, Russ was impregnated by a Facehugger and brought back to the colony. Russ was later killed when he gave birth to the Chest- burster. (A:B1 – O)

Rutilans: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in pale-red stripes and turquoise accents on their skin. (A:CMVG)

*** S ***

Salvaje: A male human and the leader of the Xenomorph-worshipping cult known as the Church of Immaculate Incubation, which was responsible for causing the global Xenomorph infestation on Earth in 2192. Fanatical and charismatic. Not much is known about Salvaje's earlier life. What can be ascertained from EarthGov intelligence is that Salvaje came from a wealthy family, which provided him with considerable financial resources. Eventually, Salvaje gained knowledge of the Xenomorph from an unknown source, which prompted him to accept a job at Bionational as a low-level administrator. During his time there, he built up contacts with other technicians. An unknown event, but probably a discovery related to the Xenomorph, caused Salvaje to quit his job. However, he maintained his ties to Bionational techs and hired several of them to set up his cult worshipping the Xenomorph, or, as Salvaje called it, the True Messiah. By this time, he had taken up residence in a small apartment near the Southern Hemi- sphere Power Grid Switching Station situated in South America. In 2189, Salvaje began hiring a holotechnician named Pindar, who spliced him into the Network and enabled him to send out his fanatical ramblings to the public. His cult quickly gained a considerable following, which added its financial support to his personal budget. In 2192, the Xenomorph Queen bred by Bionational inside its facility in Lima, Peru, sent out a telepathic signal manifesting in nightmares among the population. Understanding it as a calling, Salvaje obtained footage from inside the Lima facility showing the Queen. Salvaje decided to free the Queen and thus bring about the fulfillment of his beliefs. He mobilized his cult and started a suicide attack on the Lima facility. Salvaje hid behind his followers who were readily sacrificing themselves and eventually gained access to the containment chamber of the Queen. There, he was impregnated by a Facehugger and, shortly before he lost consciousness, realized the terrible nature of the Xenomorph. Salvaje died shortly afterward when the facility self-destructed. His followers, however, would manage to carry the seed into the general population, causing a global infestation on the planet which would become known as the Earth War. (A:B1 - O)

Samhain: A planet rich with ore. In the 24th century, mankind maintained a colony on this world. (A:OS)

199 Sanchez, Eldridge: A male human. Known as a cosmologist and philanthropist. Sanchez Outpost on KOI-1938.01 was named after him. (PR:WIW)

Sanchez Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-1938.01. Named after famous cosmologist and philanthropist Eldridge Sanchez. Established in 2055, it would sport a population of almost 6 million by 2071. The colony's industry focused on mining and refining. Key resources were europium, neodymium, copper and chromatite. (PR:WIW)

Sanders, J.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Lieutenant-Corporal at the time. (A:CMVG)

San Diego Arms Fair: A trade show for weapon technology taking place in San Diego. In 2192, a Bionational representative named Levitz attended the fair and teased the release of a new bio- weapon technology based on the Xenomorph. This teaser generated considerable interest. (A:B1 – O)

Sarah: A female human. Wife of Russ and mother of Billie and Vick. Living with her family at the colony on Rim, Sarah participated in the family expedition to the crashed Mala'kak ship in the Val- ley of the Iron Fingers and explored the wreckage together with her husband and Gene Zendall. There, her husband was impregnated by a Facehugger and later died while giving birth. Sarah was later killed during the Xenomorph outbreak that ensued. (A:B1 – O)

Sasha: A female human and a fellow patient of Billie's during her time at Feildcrest Home. Had been institutionalized in 2181 after she had killed her father by pushing him into a vat with jewelry cleaning acid. When interviewed, Sasha showed no remorse whatsoever. (A:B1 – O)

Saturria: A male human working at the botanic space colony Domes Alpha in the mid-80s of the 24th century. (A:OS)

Scorpion Alien: A Xenomorph subspecies originating from a scorpion-like creature. Has been sighted on the desert planet Tanaka 5, where the subspecies had established a small hive, consisting of 39 workers and a Queen. Similar in appearance to a human-bred Xenomorph Warrior, the Scor- pion Alien sported a spiked body armor and a poisonous tail spike. It was also able to alter its body chemistry to a point where it would explode, damaging surrounding targets with the blast and its acid blood. (KAF)

Sea of Tranquility Colony: The second human colony on Luna, Earth's moon, which is situated in the Sea of Tranquility. Founded in 2041. Unlike Luna Colony, its industry was more specialized, taking advantage of the lower gravity for more research-focused installations for light manufacturing, cybernetics, biotech, security, education and mining. The key resources of the colony were titanium, Helium-3, hydrogen, aluminum and silica. (PR:WIW)

SekCom: An administrative authority within the hierarchy of the United States Colonial Marines. SekCom has the authority to rule over internal conflicts, including the legitimacy of mutinies. (A:B2 - NA)

200 SETI: Abbreviation for Search for Extra-Terrestrial life and Intelligence, a basket term for projects concerning the search for intelligent alien life. SETI projects were still active in 2229, without any success.

SEV: Abbreviation for Space Exploration Vehicle. Notable examples of human space exploration vessels include the Heliades class, famous for being the first such spacecraft with FTL capabilities, and the Prometheus class. (PR:WIW)

Seiko: A male human and one of the colonists involved in the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid 80s of the 24th century. A thin bald man, Seiko sported a grim attitude. Later, Seiko was among the survivors of Dome Epsilon who made a dash for the station's backup in order to escape. However, when Xenomorphs ambushed the convoy, and Seiko and the others became scattered in the surrounding jungle. Seiko managed to retrieve one of the flivvers, but crashed it again and got impregnated by Facehugger. Seiko was later found and killed by Ripley 8 after she had discovered that he carried an Alien embryo inside him. (A:OS)

Sephora: A Conestoga-class starship in service of the USCM in 2179. Was involved in both missions to the Sulaco in the wake of the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179 and met its demise during the second investigation.

1. First investigation: The Sulaco incident

When the Sulaco was located by the USCM three weeks after the Hadley's Hope incident, an investigation by the Colonial Marines was launched aboard the USS Sephora. During this mission, the ship and the operation itself was commandeered by Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Steele. When it was revealed that the UPP was attempting to harvest the Xenomorph on LV-426, the Sephora spearheaded a large-scale assault against the UPP outpost. After the mission was successfully completed, the Sephora returned to the Sulaco and accompanied the ship during its journey to the Mars moon of Phobos and later to Mars. The mission ended with the death of the Xenomorph Empress aboard the Sulaco and the removal of Weyland-Yutani influence from the vessel, leaving the ship drifting into deep space near Mars. The USCM forces retreated to the Sephora, and the ship withdrew from the scene.

2. Second investigation: The Origin incident

Following the Sulaco incident, the USCM corps decided to mount a second investigation of the Su- laco after rediscovering the ship in orbit of LV-426, again aboard the USS Sephora. On December 14, 2179, the ship returned to the Sulaco, this time carrying the 118th battalion under the command of Lieutenant Jeremy Cruz. After it had been revealed that the Sulaco was under control by Wey- land-Yutani PMCs, the ship started to attack the Sephora, which returned fire in order to destroy the Sulaco's weapon emplacements. Despite regaining control over the weapon system, the USCM were unable to save the Sephora in time. Giving in to severe punishment, the ship's reactor went critical, and the wreckage crashed onto the surface of LV-426. Only roughly 100 of the initial 400 marines escaped the destruction. (A:INF, A:CMVG)

Sephora Actual: The call sign of the mission commander Lieutenant Cruz during the beginning of the Origin incident. When the Sephora sustained heavy damage, Cruz was forced to evacuate to the Sulaco, changing his call sign to Sulaco Actual. (A::CMVG)

201 September Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-252.01. Established in 2067, September Outpost would boast a population of 4.4 million by 2071. Its industry was mainly based on light and heavy manufacturing, specializing in the production of prefabricated housings and commercial structures. Further industrial activities were focused on mining operations. Key resources were titanium, holmium and methane. (PR:WIW)

Series 705 Ammo Drum: An ammo drum system for use with the UA 571 sentry gun. (A2, A:CMVG)

Sevastopol: An orbital trading station in the outer regions of colonized space. Named after a coastal city in Ukraine. Location of the eponymous incident in 2137. Once a bustling trading hub, the gigantic station had become largely forgotten during the years. By 2137, Sevastopol was owned by Seegson and operated by a skeleton crew. It was in this year that Amanda Ripley traveled to the station on orders from her employer Weyland-Yutani, also acting on the personal motivation to follow up on rumors that Seegson had come into possession of the flight recorder of the Nostromo, which could finally reveal the fate of Amanda's mother Ellen Ripley. Upon arrival, Amanda Ripley discovered that Sevastopol was being terrorized by a Xenomorph. The events that transpired on the station would become known as the Sevastopol incident. (A:ISO)

Sevodnya Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-2626.01. Established in 2065, it would boast a population of over 2.5 million by the year 2071. Its industry focused on mining and refining, using massive and largely automated ore and gas refineries for processing. Key resources were cerium, tungsten and neodymium. (PR:WIW)

Shaw, Elizabeth M.: A female human and the scientist who led the clandestine Prometheus mission in 2093. Born in 2062.

1. Early life

Shaw's mother, a physician, died when she was very young and was left in the custody of her father, a missionary, whom she accompanied on his travels. Shaw would later also lose her father to an Ebola infection. However, the professions of her parents had left a mark on Shaw's character and interests, who would go on to combine her scientific aspirations with a strong religious belief. It soon became apparent that Shaw was a very gifted individual. She graduated at the age of 17 as the first of her class and went to study at Oxford. By the year 2079, Shaw had earned numerous doctorates, with archeology as her main profession and additional degrees in paleontology, human mythology and memetics. During these years, Shaw's work was driven by the desire to answer the question of mankind's origin. She would team up with Dr. Charlie Holloway to investigate human history for hints to the creation of humanity.

2. Teaming up with Weyland Industries

While intriguing and ambitious, Shaw's and Holloway's work lacked the funding for a broader exploration. This changed in 2078: Weyland Industries, who had taken notice of Shaw's work, sent a representative to Toro Muerto, Peru, where the scientists conducted research at the time, in order to place funding and equipment at their disposal. A planet-wide search called Project Genesis was initiated, during which remnants of all kinds of ancient human civilizations were evaluated for potential information about mankind's creation. Soon, Shaw and Holloway stumbled over a peculiar pictogram on several artifacts that seemed to point to a location in distant space. One year later, enough

202 data was collected to extrapolate the location hinted at in the pictogram: LV-223 in the Zeta 2 Retic- uli system. During March and April 2079, Shaw made several attempts to contact Peter Weyland himself with a proposal for a scientific expedition to the star system and a request for funding the mission, a request which would be granted with the signing of a contract in late 2079. During the following decade of preparations, Shaw and Holloway continued to explore more artifacts in search of additional information, ending with an excavation on the Island of Skye, Scotland, in 2089. By that time, Shaw and Holloway had developed a romantic relationship. In 2091, preparations for the expedition were finally finished, and Shaw and Holloway departed on board the research vessel Prometheus with a crew of 17, entering cryosleep for the two-year journey.

3. Beginning of the LV-223 incident

On December 21, 2093, the Prometheus reached Zeta 2 Reticuli, and Shaw was woken up with the rest of the crew. Shaw then conducted a briefing with Holloway where the crew was informed about the Prometheus' top-secret mission. Shortly before the landing, Shaw and Holloway found themselves at odds with Vickers, who pursued her own agenda which was conflicting with their leadership of the scientific expedition. After the landing near a pyramid-like structure on LV-223's surface, Shaw led the first foray into the structure. It soon became apparent that the structure was artificial, and the finding of a giant decapitated corpse seemed to finally prove Shaw's theories right. How- ever, the tour was cut short when an approaching storm forced the team to return to the ship. Shaw took the head of the extraterrestrial with her, but just as they had reached the Prometheus, Shaw accidentally dropped the head. She managed to retrieve it, but was almost killed and survived only thanks to the help of the android David.

4. Stunning discoveries

Soon after, Shaw conducted an autopsy of the Engineer head which led to two discoveries: The head had been infected with the Black Goo, a chemical substance which violently destroyed the head after an attempt to bring it back to life by electrical stimulation. The second discovery was even more stunning: An analysis of the being's DNA revealed an exact genetic match with that of a human. Shaw was immensely excited by the discoveries, but also disturbed by the Black Goo's effects. She returned to her room where she proceeded to evaluate the cam recordings of the Engineer hologram, leading her to the conclusion that there must have been some kind of outbreak at the facility that killed the Engineers. Later that night, Holloway joined Shaw and inadvertently infected her with the Black Goo during sexual intercourse.

5. Escalation

Next morning, Shaw, together with Holloway, returned to the pyramid, accompanying the search party for the two missing scientists, Fifield and Millburn.. Shortly after finding the dead bodies of the two men, Holloway's infection grew worse. Desperate to save his life, Shaw and the other members returned him to the Prometheus, only to be confronted by Vickers, who refused to risk contamination by allowing Holloway back into the ship. When Holloway died at Vicker's hands, Shaw suffered a nervous breakdown and lost consciousness. Hours later, Shaw awakened in the medbay, where David informed her that she was pregnant with a non-human fetus. Shaw pleaded to have the embryo removed, but David refused and put her back to sleep. Some time later, Ford and another crew member arrived to put her into cryosleep, but Shaw, feigning unconsciousness, managed to overwhelm them and ran to the MedPod inside Vickers' lifeboat and had it remove the fetus, an infant Trilobite. She then left the creature, thinking that the automated system of the MedPod had dis-

203 posed of it. Worn out by the surgery and the emotional trauma, Shaw roamed through the Prometheus only to stumble upon Peter Weyland, who had joined the expedition in secret and been awakened for a meeting with the last Engineer. Shaw tried unsuccessfully to convince Weyland of the risks and later accompanied him into the pyramid.

6. Final confrontation and departure from LV-223

During the trek, Shaw learned that David had infected Holloway and that part of the underground structure was actually a ship, a Juggernaut vessel filled with countless Back Goo Ampules and its destination set to Earth. After the Engineer was awakened, Shaw became upset and asked the being why they created mankind only to destroy it. When the communication attempt by David and Wey- land failed and the Engineer attacked the visitors, Shaw fled to the surface and witnessed as the En- gineer ship launched from its underground hangar. She convinced Janek to make good on his promise and prevent the ship from leaving by crashing the Prometheus into it. After the science vessel had been obliterated during the successful suicide run, Shaw barely escaped being crushed by the wreck of the Engineer Juggernaut. With the last remaining oxygen reserves, Shaw made her way to the lifeboat, only to be stalked by the Engineer, who had survived the crash. When the being attacked Shaw, she released the Trilobite from the MedPod room, which had grown considerably and quickly overwhelmed the Engineer. Back on the outside, Shaw was contacted by David's remains, who asked her to retrieve him from the Juggernaut and offered her in return to locate one of the other ships on LV-223 and fly them back to Earth. Eventually, Shaw agreed under one condition: To take them to the Engineer homeworld instead of Earth to find the reason why the Engineers created humanity, only to decide to destroy it later. On New Year's Day 2094, Shaw left LV-223, sending a message to Earth that contained a warning not to come to the planet. (PR)

Shepherd, Adrian: A male human and the security officer at Domes Epsilon at the time the Domes Epsilon took place in the mid-80s of the 24th century. Has never set foot on Earth and spend much of his childhood at a mining colony, where his father worked as a security officer. Haunted by the tragic loss of his cat Duffy during a freak accident in one of the mining tunnels when he was ten years old, Adrian later decided to follow his father's footsteps and become a security officer himself. He eventually took the assignment on Domes Epsilon in the early 70s of the 24th century. Initially planed as a short-term stay of eighteen months, Shepherd quickly settled in and decided to stay at the space colony. During the Domes Epsilon incident, it was Shepherd who discovered Elijah Pandor lying in the supply bay with a Facehugger on his face when he checked on him after Pandor hadn't answered Phili- pakos' calls. When it was decided that Domes Epsilon would be evacuated, Shepherd went out to the Domes together with Call in order to search for Tristan Benedict, a stray colonist. They eventually found his dead body and returned to the control center. During the Xenomorph ambush on the survivor's trek to the backup bay, Shepherd and the others got scattered into the jungle. He eventually found Hendricks, another colonist, and covered her escape when a Xenomorph attacked them. Shepherd's exact fate is unknown, but he either was killed by a Xenomorph or died during the decompression of Domes Epsilon when the station was destroyed by the charges planted by Ripley 8 and the other crew members of the Betty. (A:OS)

Shiro: A male human and part of the USCM team involved in the Thanatos incident in the 2170s. At the time of the incident, Shiro was 19 years old and ranked Private. During the engagement, Shiro was part of the team of soldiers led by Corporal Brooke. With his comrades, Shiro managed to kill the Xenomorph Queen and escape the vessel shortly before it exploded. (A:TE)

204 Short: A male human and part of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Short managed to escape the destruction in orbit, but was later killed during the final assault against Weyland-Yutani. (A:CMVG)

Simmons: A male human and a member of a group of Bug Feeders. Together with his fellow brethren, Simmons set up a trap to lure potential victims in by spreading rumors of an abandoned military food cache. Eventually, the trap was sprung by a group of three survivors. Simmons overwhelmed the group's lookout, Petey, with another Bug Feeder called King. They then brought him before their leader, who had captured the other two men, Leather and Nylon. The scene was secretly filmed by Amy, and the broadcast eventually reached Third Base, where Billie watched the recording during the Spears incident in 2193. (A:B2 - NA)

Simoni: A male human working as a net reporter in the 2380s. Discovered his knack for writing at a young age and made it his profession as an adult. At an unknown date, Simoni came into possession of banned accounts about the struggle of Ellen Ripley against the Xenomorph, including the Book of Morse. When he learned of the existence of Ripley 8 some time after the Auriga incident, Simoni believed he had found the story of his lifetime and began efforts to track her down. It was not until several years after the creation of Ripley 8 that he finally caught up with her by chance on Byzan- tium Station. Simoni had stumbled in the midst of a frenzied and violent escape of her and the crew of the Betty, but nevertheless he decided to continue his pursuit and managed to board the Betty as a stowaway, just before she left the station. This did not go unnoticed by the Betty's crew, and Simoni narrowly escaped being thrown out of the airlock by telling Ripley 8 of his profession. Simoni was allowed to stay on board, but it was not until later that he learned from Call that Ripley 8 spared his life because the daughter of the original Ripley had also been a reporter, thus piquing the curiosity of her clone. In the meantime, Simoni's curious and sneaky behavior earned him the disdain of the better part of the crew, especially Johner. After he had witnessed an attack by a black ops division called Loki, Ripley finally let him on her mission and the next destination: Domes Epsilon, where Ripley 8 and her comrades would try to stop a Xenomorph infestation staged by Loki. After the Betty had gained access to Domes Epsilon and most of the crew had departed for their mission, Simoni's nature again got the better part of him, and he followed Ripley 8 into the station. Rama, one of the crew members who had stayed aboard the Betty, soon discovered the absence of the reporter and chased after him, only to be killed by a Xenomorph in front of Simoni's eyes. Scared senseless, Simoni lost his way in the dense jungle of the botanic facilities. However, he managed to survive long enough to be found by Ripley 8 as she was trying to reach the Betty. Simoni confessed that he was responsible for Rama's death. Having betrayed her trust, he had lost his only supporter among the crew of the Betty. However, when a Xenomorph attacked Ripley 8 soon after, Simoni repaid his dept by sacrificing himself to save her life. (A:OS)

Simpson: A male human serving as Operating Manager of Hadley's Hope in 2179. He granted the request of Russ Jorden for claiming whatever he would find at the coordinates that Carter Burke had provided the colony with for investigation. Simpson was later killed during the ensuing Xenomorph infestation of the colony. (A2)

Singh, Deepak: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Cowboy”.

205 After his family had moved to California, United States of America, in the mid-2150s, Singh was the second of three children and the first to be born in the USA. Since his childhood, he fully em- braced the American culture and way of life, much to the dismay of his family. Thus, he was also a patriot and enlisted to the USCM shortly after his 18th birthday. During his training, Singh was stationed at Camp Pendleton. Subsequently, he was transferred in the second battalion, ninth regiment, to serve as a rifleman. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Singh was ranked Private First Class and had seen little combat. During an engagement against UPP forces on LV-426, Singh was separated from his team, but later joined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Sinise, Angel: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Cuchillos”. Sinise was born in East Angellos in the early 2150s. Growing up in a tough neighborhood ruled by street gangs, Sinise lost his brother Miguel when he was killed by the 13th Street Mob gang. Deter- mined to avenge Miguel's death, Sinise joined a rival gang and developed advanced combat skills with bladed melee weapons. It was during this time that Sinise adopted his nickname. In the following years, he hunted down and killed the gang members responsible for Miguel's death, but eventually, authorities manged to arrest him. During his trial, the judge gave him the choice between serving his sentence in prison or in the USCM corps. Sinise chose the latter and would later find a new family in his comrades. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Sinise had risen to the rank of Private First Class. During an engagement aboard the Sulaco, he got separated from his team, but would later join Fire Team Fox and continue the fight. (A:INF)

Sinjaba plant: A plant indigenous to the planet Kali. Had white branches and black leaves covered with bubbles that produced a very powerful natural hallucinogen, which could be consumed by a human by chewing the leaves. The Sinjaba plant also grew on the botanic space colony Domes Ep- silon, notable for being one of the few alien plant species on the station. (A:OS)

Sir Peter Weyland Memorial Library: A library in Washington, D.C. Opened on June 23, 2065. (PR:WIW)

Situational Intelligence: A test of the Project Prometheus Training Center. Had the designation B1. The third test of five tests total and the first of two tests evaluating the mental capabilities of the participant, the Situational Intelligence test consisted of twelve multiple choice questions confronting the applicant with various mission scenarios and moral issues. (PR:WIW)

Siwiak, R. A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Ranking Sergeant at the time of the incident, Siwiak led a flamethrower unit into combat aboard the Sulaco. The usage of incinerator units proved very effective against the Xenomorphs, but Siwiak was eventually killed when spraying acid blood punctured the fuel tank of his weapon, resulting in a fatal explosion of the substance. (A:CMVG)

Sleeper: A person that for whatever reason enters cryosleep for an extended period of time without it being necessary due to space travel. In exchange for providing the facility and medical supervision, the company operating the cryostorage is allowed to wake the Sleeper at any time and place him or her in its employment. There is conflicting data regarding the handling of sleepers: While some claim that they are kept in uninterrupted storage for several decades, other sources state that

206 Sleepers are woken every year or two for medical rehabilitation. Corporations offering Sleeper facilities were Planetus and Omnitech. (A:NE)

Smart Gun: A term for a weapon assisted and directed in targeting by additional equipment. An example is the M56 Smart Gun, a machine gun of the USCM equipped with a self-aiming mount connected to an infrared targeting system. (A2, A:CMTM, A:INF)

Smith: A male-type android and part of the Benedict mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld. Smith was part of a military project to create androids with behavior indistinguishable from humans in order to facilitate interaction with regular soldiers. To this end, even Smith himself and the other androids were kept unaware of his true identity. In 2191, Smith and the other androids entered combat training and were designated as First Squad, Fox Platoon, Company Able, 1st Extee Division, Sec- ond Colonial Marines. In 2192, Smith and the rest of his squad were assigned to the expedition to the Xenomorph Homeworld aboard the Benedict. During this mission, Smith was killed inside a hive on the planet's surface during a skirmish with the resident Xenomorphs. (A:B1 – O)

Smith, R.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. Was assigned locker number 05.TS/04. (A:CMVG)

Snake Alien: A unique Xenomorph breed originating from a large snake or snake-like alien creature. The resulting Xenomorph featured a drastic alteration compared to a human-bred counterpart, having its appendages degraded to a point where they were no longer visible. Instead, the Snake Alien relied on its strong tail for movement. The preferred killing method of the breed was probably to wrap itself around its victim, crushing and suffocating the body of its target. The creature also sported a prominent jaw with large fangs. (KAF)

Sniffer: A handheld device used to detect surveillance gear. Eugene Powell used a Sniffer before he discussed a possible mutiny against Spears with Wilks during the Spears incident in 2193. (A:B2 - NA)

Solar System: A star system in the Milky Way. Earth, mankind's home planet, is located in the So- lar System.

Solstice: A solar array manufactured by Weyland Industries. Introduced in 2014, it became known as the corporation's first landmark achievement. The Solstice was designed as a powerful source of renewable energy and featured fully-articulated arrays equipped with sensors consisting of thin film polymer with polycrystalline silicon distribution. The first Solstice array was installed in orbit of Earth in 2015. Over the following decades, many more such arrays were installed over colony worlds and would eventually provide over 50 percent of the power needed for Earth and colonized space during the 2070s. Governments using Solstice arrays at this time were the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and colonies associated with these nations, who used the power for military needs due to the flexibility of the Solstice system. (PR:WIW)

Sonic Electronic Ball Breaker: A nickname for the G2 Electroshock Grenade manufactured by Ar- mat. Refers to the detonation height that conveniently places the G2 in reach of enemy crotches. (A:CMVG)

207 Soporific Patch: A medical patch containing a sleep-inducing drug. Was in use during the late 22nd century. Sporific patches were also dispensed to help patients sleep in the Feildcrest Home mental ward during the time of Billie's stay. (A:B1 – O)

Soulages: A hostile and barren world with a barely breathable atmosphere and rough weather.

1. Infestation

Some time before the Earth War, Weyland-Yutani undertook the colonization of the planet and set up several facilities all over the planet, of which at least one was outfitted with a nuclear reactor. In 2202, a Xenomorph infestation was detected on a small outpost on Soulages. Weyland-Yutani sent their employee Anders Kramm to deal with the situation. Kramm, whose family lived on the planet at the time, fatally underestimated the degree of the infestation, at the cost of the lives of his wife and daughter. After barely surviving a confrontation with the creatures at his home, Kramm called in the Colonial Marines who immediately quarantined the planet and evacuated all civilians.

2. Transformation

During the next thirty years, Weyland-Yutani transformed the settlement where Kramm and his family had lived into an artificial Alien hive to harvest the creatures. Once, the colony had been a compound of a dozen buildings and agricultural fields surrounded by a wall, with a handful of prefab buildings outside. During the course of the transformation, the settlement was vastly expanded, and its layout changed almost beyond recognition. Additionally, a dome was installed over the entire colony, sealing it off from the outside world. The facility and the Egg Harvester drones used to collect Xenomorph eggs were outfitted to be remote-controlled from the Company's research station on the moon of Soulages. Several ships visited Soulages during this time, among them the Hume and the Climacus. However, the crews of these ships abandoned their vessels, leaving them to be stripped by scavengers.

3. Role during the C-3 L/M incident

Kramm and a group of Planetus personnel were forced to revisit Soulages in 2232. The planet was still quarantined at the time, and the Xenomorph hive inside the settlement had thrived to a considerable size. In the end, only Anders Kramm, Frances Stauff and a Planetus mercenary called Bjorn Heyward managed to escape Soulages. The planet was presumably visited by a Weyland-Yutani strike force shortly after to pick up Xenomorph specimens, which would be used to assist them in its retaliatory strike against the Planetus survivors, who had holed up themselves in the research station on Soulages' moon. (A:NE)

Soypro: A nutrient product. Non-perishable, which is why it is often used on colonies, space stations, spaceships or other locations where fresh food is not an option. Soypro is also often used as an ersatz for meat, which, if a capable cook serves it, can taste rather good.

Space Jockey: A term coined to describe the Mala'kak Collector individual that had piloted the vessel which would end as the Derelict on LV-426. Also referred to simply as “Pilot”.

208 At an unknown point of time in the distant past, a Mala'kak Collector vessel and another vessel of an unknown configuration were caught in a battle near LV-426. During this skirmish, the Collector vessel was severely damaged, and the pilot was forced to crash-land on the nearby moon. The pilot survived the crash and set off a beacon signal. However, the vessel also carried a deadly cargo: At least one Xenomorph egg. The Collector pilot became impregnated by Facehugger – under which exact circumstances remains unknown, as well as the original course of vessel and the circumstances under which the Xenomorph eggs had ended up on the ship. Soon after the crash, the pilot gave birth to a Xenomorph specimen which would grow to an enormous size and eventually go into hibernation in the bowels of the wreckage. In the following centuries, the remains of the Mala'kak remained in the pilot chair and fossilized.

1. Discovery by the Nostromo

In 2122, the Nostromo landed on LV-426 near the Derelict, following up on the beacon signal it had received. The scouting party entered the vessel and found the remains of the Space Jockey, still in its chair inside the pilot chamber. A crew member, Kane, also stumbled upon the cargo hold where he found vast amounts of Xenomorph eggs – whether it was the original cargo or had been laid by the Xenomorph specimen remains unknown. Kane was subsequently infected by a Facehugger, and the team returned to the Nostromo and left LV-426.

2. Rediscoveries and final fate

During the following decades, the Space Jockey remained unharmed by the volcanic activities that damaged portions of the vessel. The Space Jockey was rediscovered several times, first during the UPP's attempt to harvest the eggs from the Derelict. After the UPP outpost had been destroyed by USCM intervention, Fire Team Fox drove a stolen APC to a secondary extraction point near the Derelict and crashed the vehicle into the pilot chamber where a fight ensued between the marines and the Space Jockey Alien, which had awakened from its slumber. Eventually, the creature was killed, and the marines left the scene. The second rediscovery was made by Weyland-Yutani during the erection of the Origin facility and the subsequent harvesting of the Xenomorph eggs. A military conflict between the Company and the Colonial Marines led to the abandonment of the facility and the Derelict. At an unknown point of time between the Origin incident and the Auriga incident in 2381, the Derelict was destroyed by unknown means, taking the cargo and the Space Jockey with it. (A:1, A:INF, A:CMVG)

Space Jockey Alien: A unique Xenomorph specimen that originated from the pilot of the Derelict, nicknamed the Space Jockey, on LV-426. Notable for its astounding longevity.

1. Anatomy

This creature was special in several regards: As it had hatched from a Mala'kak Collector, who already was significantly taller than a human, the Space Jockey Alien was huge, even slightly larger than a human-bred Queen. Further characteristic were the presence of visible eyes, a trunk and brown skin color. This Xenomorph possessed great physical strength and had the ability to vomit a stream of molecular acid onto its opponents. Whether this specimen was a Drone, a Queen or another subspecies entirely is unknown. Another noteworthy aspect is the creature's longevity, enabling it to survive the timespan of centuries, even millennia between the crash on LV-426 and the Derelict's discovery by humans. As the Xenomorph is known adopts properties from its host body

209 to some degree, this might mean that the Mala'kak themselves can grow very old. However, this long period of survival might have also been achieved by means of hibernation.

2. History

The Space Jockey Alien began its existence when the Space Jockey was impregnated by a Facehug- ger present aboard the vessel, although it is unknown if the impregnation happened before or after the crash. There is also no record about the early stages of the specimen's life-cycle. What is certain is that the creature grew to considerable size and roamed the Derelict long after its pilot had died. It is possible that this specimen was actually a Queen and had laid the vast amounts of eggs inside the Derelict's cargo bay. In any case, the Space Jockey Alien was incredibly long-lived, managing to survive the centuries or even millennia until the Derelict would be discovered by humankind. During humanity's first foray into the Derelict by the crew of the Nostromo in 2122, the creature was not encountered, lending credence to the theory that the Xenomorph had entered a state of hibernation and that the small scouting party was not enough to stir it. The exploration by colonists shortly before the Haley's Hope incident in 2179, also did not yield any encounters with the Alien. Later that year, however, the UPP undertook a large-scale effort to harvest the Xenomorph eggs inside the Derelict. When the USCM intervened and assaulted the outpost, a fire team of the Colonial Marines crashed a damaged APC inside the Derelict's pilot chamber. If the UPP operation had not disturbed it already, the crash was enough to awaken and anger the creature. The Space Jockey Alien appeared and viciously attacked the soldiers. Eventually, the creature collapsed under the firepower of the marines and died. (A:INF)

Spatial Relations: An exercise of the Project Prometheus Training Center. Had the designation B2. The fourth of five tests total and the second of two tests evaluating the mental capabilities of the applicant, the participant was assigned the task of fitting geometrical figures into a form while being pressed for time. (PR:WIW)

Spears, Thomas A.W.: A male human and a member of the USCM corps. Notable for administrat- ing the Third Base project, which aimed at domesticating Xenomorphs for use in combat. Died during the fatal conclusion of the project during the Spears incident in 2193.

1. Early life

Spears was born in the first half of the 22nd century as part of the first group of human babies created by the Artificial Womb program. The circumstances of his birth were so essential to Spears that he would later incorporate the program's name as initials in his own name. Spears would then be raised under special care together with his “siblings”. At the age of nine, Spears killed another child from the program, Jerico Axe, who had bullied him – the first time Spears took a life. The incident had been officially declared an accident. Like the rest of his siblings, Spears entered military service in the USCM corps. At the age of 15, Spears trained small-arms use under Gunnery Sergeant Brandywine, who also seduced him. Spears proved to be an exemplary military man. His enthusiam for the service was evident by two tattoos on his forearms – one a screaming eagle with chains and the other one the USCM insignia with a dagger-and-banner. Another one of his passions were collecting memorabilia from his tours of duty. One such item was a pair of antique Smith & Wesson stainless-steel revolvers with custom wood grips he had confiscated from a dictator who had set up his domain on Lebanon II in the Khadaji System. Another possession was a box of eight Jamaican Lonsdale cigars which he had

210 earned as a present from a wealthy person he had saved. Spears' personal sidearm was another antique, a stainless 10mm auto pistol with full santoprene grips. His career would lead him to the higher echelons of the human military, including MILCOM HQ, where he made the acquaintance of Colonel Stephens. At an unknown point of time, but presumably shortly before or during the beginning of the Earth War, Spears, now inhabiting the rank of General, was given command of the Third Base installation, located on a remote planetoid. The base was the site of a secret project that aimed at domesticating Xenomorphs to use them as soldiers. The project flourished under Spears, but the success came at a price: Spears ruled with an iron fist, punishing even slight errors by death. Spears' deteriorating state of mind was further exempli- fied when he raided the nearby civilian base and transformed it into an artificial Xenomorph breeding stock, using the colonists as cattle. While Spears still had many followers, thoughts of desertion and mutiny began to stir among the soldiers.

2. The mutiny at Third Base

The situation would escalate when an automated cargo drone named the American, who was supposed to carry humans infected with Earth-born Xenomorphs, landed at Third Base. Instead of taking possession of his precious cargo, Spears encountered Wilks and Billie, two stowaways who had escaped Earth and told him that they had killed the Xenomorphs aboard. Enraged, Spears put the two of them in isolation. It was not until the general read up on Wilks' past regarding the Xenomorphs that he revised his opinion and started to consider the marine an asset. He invited him and Billie to dinner, where he presented his plan for liberating Earth using the conditioned Third Base Xenomorphs to his guests. The dinner was interrupted when his second-in-command Powell informed him that three of his soldiers had gone AWOL and were heading for the civilian base. Spears immediately departed for the colony with the A company of his First Platoon. He just arrived in time to leave the last survivor to certain death at the hands of the resident Xenomorphs. As a class 10 storm made an imminent return impossible, Spears used the opportunity to assess the state of the facility. When the storm had faded, Spears, indulging his paranoia, checked on a secret signal, which alerted him of the mutiny brewing back at Third Base. Spears transferred his soldiers to a stealth ship from the colony and approached the base while sending his own ship on ahead via remote. The plan worked, and Spears managed to unleash a furious barrage which decimated the vehicles of the base and forced the mutineers to retreat into the compound. Spears now intruded the base using several fail-safes only he knew about. First, he approached East Gate, using a blind spot in the surveillance at the heat sinks of the power plant. Once inside, he opened the Queen chamber with a secret remote, causing further turmoil. Spears, deciding that the time was right to journey to Earth and liberate the planet, ordered his men to load his army onto two transports, the Jackson and the MacArthur. Once loading was complete, Spears took off aboard the Jackson, taking the MacArthur with him, and disabled the drives of the other vessel to cover up the events that had transpired there.

3. Final fate

It was not until days later that Spears noticed the sensor readings telling him of two stowaways on board the MacArthur. He paid them not further attention as they posed no immediate threat. The situation changed when the stowaways invaded the Jackson using EVA suits. Spears confronted who turned out to be Wilks and Billie in the aft cargo hold. A firefight ensued, and Spears was forced to withdraw. However, he still came out on top as he locked the two inside the cargo hold and turned off atmosphere, leaving them to a slow death once their air supply ran out. Some time later, Spears

211 was contacted by Wilks via comm, who told him that he had rigged the cargo of the MacArthur with timed explosives. Wilks would trade the location of the bombs for an escape pod and enough time to escape. Spears, not willing to endanger his army, grudgingly agreed. By this time, Spears had even developed some respect for the persistent and crafty Wilks. When the ships reached Earth, Spears chose the Natal region in South Africa as his landing site. By this time, Spears' mental state had deteriorated to insanity fueled by delusions of grandeur. He saw himself as the commander-in-chief of the USCM and chose a white dress uniform while preparing. Confident in his impending victory, the general also decided to record and broadcast his triumph. After the landing, he released his “troops” and gave them the order to attack, only to watch the creatures turn on him. Spears realized his fatal error in judgment only when the army's Queen decapitated him. (A:B2 - NA)

Spears incident: The fatal culmination of a USCM military project on a remote planetoid to domesticate Xenomorphs and train them as loyal soldiers. Named after General Thomas A.W. Spears, the insane commander in charge of the project. Took place in 2193 during the Earth War period, when mankind's homeworld was in the grip of a global Xenomorph infestation. The Spears incident was also notable for involving Wilks and Billie, two major figures during Earth War and its conclusion.

1. Prelude

By the time of the incident, the situation at Third Base, the military facility of the project on the planetoid, was already critical. Spears ruled his staff with an iron fist, punishing even slightest signs of dissidence by locking them into the artificial Xenomorph hive to be used as food or livestock. Major Eugene Powell, Spears' second-in-command, began to secretly harbor serious doubts about his superior's fitness to lead. Several individuals were plotting to escape Spears' reach by fleeing to the nearby terraformer colony. At the same time, the project itself proved to be seemingly successful, causing Spears to view himself as a saviour who would deliver Earth from the Xenomorphs with his own Alien army. To help him with his experiment, the installation was receiving automated cargo transports with impregnated humans from Earth “procured” by the military. Three stowaways who would bring things to a head eventually arrived on one of these cargo drones, the American. These individuals were Wilks, Billie and the android Mitch Bueller, key figures in the events surrounding Earth's infestation.

2. The rebellion begins

When the American arrived and the stowaways revealed themselves, Spears angrily reprimanded the new arrivals for having been forced to destroy his cargo of impregnated humans. Spears had intended to have these specimens examined for possible mutations from being exposed to different human DNA strains back on Earth. He ordered Wilks and Billie to be put in quarantine and be examined for infection by subcutaneous monitors and full-prism spectography. Bueller was placed under isolated care in the research facilities in order to be retrofitted with a bipedal frame which would replace his missing torso. It was only when Spears reviewed information about Wilks and his history with the Aliens from the Bibliocom that he revised his opinion. He invited Wilks and Billie to dinner where he presented his plans to reclaim Earth. While Wilks and Billie were shocked about this insanity, they decided to play along. It was then that news of a small band of his soldiers having fled the compound arrived. Spears gave Wilks and Billie free run of the base and left to deal with the traitors personally.

212 While Spears had been preoccupied with his guests, a group of three marines, consisting of PFC Renus, Corporal Peterson and PFC Magruder, overwhelmed the guard at South Lock, stole one of the crawlers and headed for the civilian terraforming colony. Upon arrival, the group found the base devoid of human life. Soon, they discovered that the site and the colonists had been claimed by a Xenomorph hive set up by Spears for his experiments. The Xenomorphs slaughtered the marines, save for Renus, who managed to reach the exit despite heavy injuries. However, his escape was thwarted by Spears and his squad, who had just arrived at the scene. They locked Renus in to be killed by the Xenomorphs and secured the site afterward to assess the state of the hive.

3. The mutiny

Back at Third Base, Wilks was approached by Powell in the hangar bay. Powell convinced Wilks to lead a mutiny against Spears and put an end to his madness. Using a delay in Spears' return from the colony due to a storm for preparations, Wilks cut long-range communication and rounded up Spears' loyalists while mobilizing his own men. He then manned a military crawler outside the base to shoot down Spears upon his return. After the storm had passed, Spears and his men prepared for the return to Third Base. However, the general's paranoia had caused him to install a noisemaker signal which alerted him of the imminent danger. He transferred his squad to a stealth ship from the plant and sent the empty troop carrier on ahead via remote while following with his own vessel at a safe distance. Wilks took the bait and was unprepared for the vicious counterattack Spears' stealth ship unleashed. As the general crippled every vehicle parked outside, Wilks and Billie barely managed to retreat to the inside. While Wilks, Billie and the mutineers holed themselves up inside the compound, Spears and his squad infiltrated the facility by using an unsupervised path along the fusion plant's heat sinks east of the North Lock. Spears and his team reached the East Lock without being noticed and invaded the base. In order to cause disruption that would make it easier to reconquer the base, Spears used a private remote to unlock the Queen chamber, unleashing the creatures onto the base. The ensuing carnage forced Wilks, Billie and Powell to retreat to the hangar bay. However, Spears had locked all vessels capable of interstellar travel to his own security code, which forced Wilks and the others to look for a way to bypass his code.

4. A date with destiny

Meanwhile, Spears had decided that the time was right to leave Third Base behind and reclaim Earth with his trained Xenomorphs. The resistance inside the base was quickly subdued, and Spears' loyalists managed to capture the Queen without any further incident. Afterward, the troops immediately began loading the creatures onto the two transports designated for this mission: the MacArthur and the Jackson. Wilks, Billie and Powell were briefly captured by Spears, but managed to escape and overwhelm a few guards of whom they borrowed the uniforms to move around unnoticed. They had almost entered the MacArthur when a firefight ensued during which Powell was killed. Wilks and Billie got on board the MacArthur just in time before Spears, now aboard the Jackson, ordered both ships to take off. During his departure, the general crippled the other ships, leaving his troops stranded at Third Base. Trapped aboard the transport, Wilks and Billie were also forced to leave Mitch Bueller behind. After leaving the orbit of the planetoid, the Jackson and the MacArthur began their journey to Earth. During the voyage, Spears discovered the stowaways on the other ships via sensor readings, but paid them no further attention. In the meantime, Wilks and Billie put on EVA suits and used their maneuvering thrusters to leave the MacArthur and infiltrate the Jackson. Again, Spears was warned of the intruders and confronted them as soon as they entered the vessel. Although the general was

213 forced to retreat after a brief battle, he managed to use the ship's system to trap Wilks and Billie in the aft cargo hold. The ships eventually reached the Sol system, and time was running out. With no other options, Wilks developed an elaborate bluff: He told Spears that he had rigged the Xenomorph cargo of the MacArthur with timed explosives. He would trade an escape pod for the location of the bombs. The plan worked: With no time to verify the claim and unwilling to jeopardize the mission, Spears agreed. By the time Spears discovered that the explosives were a ruse, Wilks and Billie had safely escaped aboard the pod and reached Gateway Station, which acted as a safe haven for uninfected refugees. Using the comm systems, Wilks and Billie watched as Spears landed with his troops in the Natal province in South Africa. Spears' campaign was short-lived: As soon as the seemingly tame Xenomorphs were free, they turned on Spears. After the Queen had decapitated the general, the Xenomorph army disappeared into the general Alien population. At Gateway Station, Wilks and Billie met up with the Ripley android to discuss a plan to free Earth from the Alien plague once and for all.

Special Order 937: A top-secret directive issued by Weyland-Yutani in 2121. The order was a vital part of the Company's efforts to secure a Xenomorph specimen from the Derelict on LV-426 using the Nostromo and its crew, culminating in what would become known as the Nostromo incident. The exact identity of the individual or individuals who gave Special Order 937 is unknown. After Weyland-Yutani had learned of the existence of the Derelict through its connection to the Loki organization, it inserted the android Ash into the crew of a cargo hauler of the Company, the Nos- tromo, which was scheduled to pass the Zeta II Reticuli system – where LV-426 was located – on its journey back to Earth. After Ash's insertion, Weyland-Yutani sent Special Order 937 to his personal account for the Nostromo's computer, MOTHER. The order commanded Ash to alter the ship's course so that it would pass near enough to LV-426 to pick up the distress signal of the Derelict, obtain a Xenomorph specimen and ensure its survival until it could be secured by Weyland-Yutani personnel. Further parameters for this operation classified the crew of the Nostromo as expendable. Ash was ultimately unable to fulfill Special Order 937 due to the interference of Ellen Ripley, who discovered the truth about Ash's assignment and managed to incapacitate him and destroy the Xenomorph. (A1, A:OS)

Spectagraph: A device that creates a live, three-dimensional map of a terrain using an omni-direc- tional laser. The Spectagraph is embedded in a hyper-conducting orb shell equipped with an anti- gravity device, allowing it to float and thus traversing virtually any kind of terrain. Additionally, the device is equipped with polymer film bio-scanners capable of detecting toxins and life forms down to 500 nanometers. The Spectagraph sends its findings to specified viewing platforms, such as the HoloTab aboard a ship. The device was conceived by Weyland Industries to help explore other planets, who patented it under the file number 17,900,353 on December 1, 2063. Several Spectagraphs, nicknamed “Pups”, were used by the geologist Fifield to map the Engineer pyramid during the LV-223 incident in 2093. In 2179, Weyland-Yutani used Spectagraph to map out the Derelict and cave system on LV-426 during the construction and operation of the Origin facility in the months following the Hadley's Hope incident. (PR:WIW, PR, A:CMVG, A:CMVG_SI)

Spicalus: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Spitters, resulting in an additional row of large acid sacs covering the top of their carapaces and a smaller row of additional sacs on the front of the skull. An- other new aspect is a central row of spikes on the carapace. (A:CMVG)

Spitter: A variant of the Xenomorph Drone. While Spitters are less resilient than Drones, they make up for this vulnerability with the ability to spit a chemical liquid with the same corrosive

214 properties as their blood over a range of several dozens of meters. This liquid is stored in bio-luminescent yellow pouches that are spread over an extended, broad cranium. Other unique anatomical features are a more slender build than that of a Drone and an ax-shaped tail barb. The Spitter subspecies was first encountered throughout the Origin incident in 2179. The initial contact was made by a USCM marine named J. Ma, who did not survive the confrontation. Later during the incident, fellow comrades Winter, O'Neal and Clarison stumbled upon a large group of Spitters inside an expansive cavern near the Origin facility. Eyewitness accounts of captured Spitter specimen inside the Weyland-Yutani compound give credence to the assumption that these creatures have existed for some time prior to the incident. Unlike the Boilers, the Spitters seem to have been purposefully conceived by the Xenomorph hive and served as long-range attackers and defenders during the later stages of the incident. (A:CMVG)

Spookeyes: A colloquial term for Amplite goggles. Possibly derived from the ghostly green tint of the viewfield. (A:B2 - NA)

Sprague, Dan: A male human and a member of the team of scientists assigned to the cloning project aboard the Auriga in the late 24th century. Sprague participated in the extraction of the Queen embryo from Ripley, but was injured when the patient awoke and broke his arm. It is unknown whether Sprague escaped the Auriga during the Xenomorph outbreak or died aboard the ship. (A:RES)

Spray-suit: A technology that is used to fully isolate a human being. Often used in conjunction with the Delousing procedure. As the name suggests, the compound is sprayed onto a person, where it solidifies into a flexible coat covering the entire body. The suit is osmotic and thus allows the wearer and his or her skin to breathe while all secretions such as sweat are kept inside the coat. The technology is applied in highly sensitive research environments such as the science section of the Third Base installation. (A:B2 - NA)

Spunkmeyer, Daniel: A male human and Colonial Marine. Sporting the rank of Private First Class, Spunkmeyer was the Dropship Crew Chief of the squad involved in the Hadley's Hope incident. Spunkmeyer was killed by a Xenomorph Drone shortly before Ferro lifted off to pick up the survivors from the Xenomorph ambush inside the colony's hive. (A2)

Standish, Victor: A male human working as the engineer of the staff assigned to a Weyland-Yutani research station on C-3 L/M in the early thirties of the 23rd century. In 2232, Weyland-Yutani had learned of a Planetus spy at Standish's outpost, and he was the first to be reassigned after a background check had cleared him. Standish was replaced by Matthew Benjamin, who would later be killed as part of Weyland-Yutani's scheme to take over Planetus during the C-3 L/M incident. (A:NE)

Stanton: A scientist assigned to Project Ilithyia aboard the USS Sulaco in 2179. Doctor Stanton soon became disturbed by the project's nature and requested a transfer from his superior, Doctor Conrad. Conrad denied the request and tried to calm down Stanton, but when Stanton refused to comply, he was taken in by Weyland-Yutani's PMCs. His current whereabouts are unknown. (A:CMVG)

Stasis: The state of suspension of an organism during hypersleep. Weyland Industries first discovered the stasis function in its San Francisco lab on May 20, 2028. (PR:WIW)

215 Statler Colony: A colony on HD 86264BM. Founded in 2060. By the year 2071, it sported a population of over 7,5 million and was known for housing one of the largest spaceports in colonized space. The industry of the colony consisted of transportation, tourism and energy. Key resources were magnesium, lithium and oxygen. (PR:WIW)

Stauff, Frances: A female human working as a representative of the Planetus Corporation in 2232. Graduated at the top of her class and later rose to the rank of second-in-command of Planetus security forces of the sector including the planet C-3 L/M. Determined and resourceful, having impressive skills in piloting. Was involved in the C-3 L/M incident.

1. Reawakening and employment by Planetus

When a supposed Alien infestation was discovered on C-3 L/M, a planet owned by both Planetus and Weyland-Yutani, in 2232, Stauff was ordered to lead the investigation of the case on Planetus' behalf. Stauff met up with Charles Braley, a Weyland-Yutani representative, and Anders Kramm, a private investigator familiar with the Aliens sent by Planetus, on the local spaceport to head over to the Weyland-Yutani research station where the incident in question had occurred. Stauff distrusted Braley and instead worked closely with Kramm on the case, who both decided to keep their findings for themselves where possible. As they discovered that the “infestation” at the research station was part of a scheme by Braley to eliminate Planetus spies in the installation and take over the corporation, they found themselves on the run.

2. Hunted by Weyland-Yutani

Kramm and Stauff quickly prepared their spaceship for take-off, during which Stauff discovered a problem in the engine room. When Stauff went over to take a look, she was attacked and rendered unconscious by a juvenile Alien planted on the ship by Braley. She was already being prepared for impregnation when Kramm killed the creature, saving Stauff's life. At this time, a romantic bond was forming between the two. Stauff piloted the ship out of the spaceport and performed a hot landing to pick up a handful of other people involved in the investigation, with Weyland-Yutani's forces hot on their tails. Eventually, they managed to escape the planet and headed for Planetus headquarters on orders of Matthew Darby, her boss at Planetus. While Kramm stayed awake to supervise the short flight, Stauff and the others went to cryosleep. Her sleep was short, however, when Kramm awakened her to inform her that the ship was remotely ordered to change course. Stauff found out that the order came from Planetus and contacted Darby, who informed the survivors that Weyland- Yutani had taken over Planetus and ordered the ship to land on the alien-infested world of Soulages to dispose of the last people who knew the truth about the C-3 L/M incident. Together with Kramm and the others, Stauff managed to fight her way through the infested settlement on Soulages to a short-range flyer on the landing pad of the facility. Stauff flew the flyer through the dome surrounding the settlement and crash-landed the craft into the Weyland-Yutani research station on the nearby moon. There, they took over the installation, sent word out to the authorities and prepared for Wey- land-Yutani's retaliatory strike. Stauff's final whereabouts are unknown. (A:NE)

Steele, Patrick: A male human and a USCM veteran. Nicknamed “Stainless” Steele. Was the commanding officer of the marines on the USS Sephora during the first investigation of the Sulaco in 2179, which would culminate in the Sulaco incident.

216 1. Early life and career

Steele was born in the mid-2120s into a family that had a proud tradition of serving in the military for five generations since around the turn to the 21st century. Steele was determined to follow in his ancestors' footsteps and started his career in the USCM corps with graduating as the best of his class from Norwich University in 2148. In the same year, Steele was awarded the rank of Second Lieu- tenant and was placed in command of second platoon, A company, first battalion, second regiment. Steele then fought in the Helene 215 Uprising where he sustained injuries that earned him a Purple Heart. Later, he served during the Tientsin campaign where he received a promotion to Captain and was placed in command of the 14th MAU. During the conflict, Steele was deployed on Linna 349 for two consecutive tours of duty. In 2175, Steele achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was placed in command of the second battalion of the ninth USCM regiment.

2. Role during the Sulaco incident

When the Sulaco was found by the USCM in 2179 shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident, Steele and his battalion were stationed aboard the USS Sephora and assigned the mission to investigate the Sulaco. After arriving at the scene, Steele deployed Charlie Squad and ordered the marines to secure the ship, find out what happened to the crew and investigate a lone life signal reported by an advance scout team. During the mission, Steele stayed in contact with his subordinates and assisted them from his command post on one of the Cheyenne dropships landed on the vessel. Soon however, the marines encountered the Xenomorph population aboard the ship and reported first casualties. Steele requested information about the creatures from the secret service, but to no avail. After Fire Team Fox had retrieved the source of the signal, a UPP soldier named Eva, Steele ordered an immediate retreat of his forces to the Sephora. Steele handed Eva over to the secret service for interrogation. Upon learning of the UPP presence on LV-426, Steele was ordered to depart to the moon and launch a full-scale attack on the UPP outpost in order to put a stop to its efforts to harvest the Xenomorph. After the Sulaco was handed over to contract workers belonging to the Weyland- Yutani corporation, the Sephora departed to LV-426.

3. Unearthing a conspiracy

As the operation commenced, Steele did more research on the Xenomorphs and discovered that Weyland-Yutani and powerful allies in the military intended to secure the creature for use as bio- weapons. Intent on stopping this conspiracy after consulting with an old friend at MCIR, Steele launched an unofficial second investigation to the Sulaco. He left it up to his marines to follow him on this black ops, but his soldiers supported his decision and offered their full cooperation. Acting on intel that the Sulaco was about to intercept a Wey-Yu freighter with Xenomorph eggs, Steele deployed Fire Team Fox to prevent the transfer from happening, only to find out that the ship had the cargo already on board and was en route to the moon Phobos, where a Weyland-Yutani research station was located. Steele continued to supervise and assist his marines during the engagement with the escaped Xenomorphs on the Sulaco and the investigation of an Alien outbreak at the Phobos installation.

4. Reckoning

He and his soldiers returned to the Sulaco to hold the Company responsible for its actions, and open hostilities between the two factions ensued. When the analysis revealed that the Xenomorph outbreak had become too severe to deal with directly and that the Sulaco was about to be intercepted

217 by allies of Wey-Yu, Steele ordered Fire Team Fox to destroy the ship by disabling the cooling systems. However, this plan was foiled by Sean Davis, the Company representative in charge of the Sulaco operation. In order to prevent the Xenomorph from falling into the wrong hands and avoid a possible large-scale outbreak in the Mars colony, Steele ordered his men to alter the Sulaco's course and send it crashing into an uninhabited area of the Red Planet. Again, Davis was able to counteract with another override, but his arrogance caused him to gloat and taunt the marines during a lengthy conversation over the comm system, which enabled Steele to pinpoint Davis' position and sent Fire Team Fox after him. After a final confrontation, Davis and the Xenomorph Empress were dead, but the engagement had triggered an explosion which ruptured the hull of the Sulaco. Hoping that the detonation had diverted the Sulaco far enough from its original course to hide it from Davis' associates, Steele ordered his troops to retreat to the Sephora. Soon after, Steele and his marines withdrew from the scene.

5. Final fate

Steele's whereabouts after the Sulaco incident are unknown. However, considering USCM's second investigation of the Sulaco later that year that involved a new crew, it is possible that Weyland-Yu- tani's allies were able to cover up the incident and force USCM to punish Steele for his rogue operations. (A:INF)

Stegos: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in a large crest-like carapace accentu- ated by a small horn on the front side. (A:CMVG)

Stephens, H. S.: A male human and a high-ranking member of the military. Despite lacking field experience, Stephens rose to a position of considerable prestige, becoming associated with the special projects division in the process. Ranking Colonel by 2192, Stephens played a key role in the events surrounding the Benedict mission in the same year. After EarthGov, and by extension the human military, had come into the possession of the coordinates of the Xenomorph Homeworld due to the discovery of the Junket, Stephens was assigned the task to prepare an expedition of the planet together with Dr. Orona, the leading expert on Xenomorphs at the time. When Orona decided to assign a marine named Wilks the task of second- in-command, Stephens unsucessfully objected, seemingly because of Wilks' checkered past. In truth, Stephens was secretly selling out the mission to a private corporation named Bionational, which intended to stop the military from obtaining a Xenomorph and thus secure the financial success of the enterprises' own Alien breeding stock. During preparations, Stephens countermanded an order by Wilks to load the ship with heavy ordnance, which would have given the crew a fighting chance against Bionational's intercept. On April 5, 2192, the military mission launched aboard the Benedict, with Stephens as the captain, who commanded his first field operation, and Wilks as second-in-command. Tension between them rose again when Stephens learned that Wilks had smuggled a civilian named Billie aboard. During travel, Stephens secretly updated Massey, the leader of the Bionational intercept close in pursuit, about the situation. A patrolling crew member aboard the Benedict named Easley accidentally discovered Stephens' communications, only to be killed by him. When the Benedict arrived in orbit of the homeworld, Stephens shot the ship's pilot and enabled Massey to land aboard and take control. However, Massey shot Stephens shortly after his arrival, considering the colonel a liability. (A:B1 – O)

218 Stinger-class cruiser: A type of cruiser introduced in the middle of the 22nd century. The stripped wreckage of a Stinger-class cruiser, the Climacus, was discovered on Soulages by the survivors of the C-3 L/M incident in 2232. (A:NE)

Stinger XT-37: A small military vehicle used by the USCM Corps. Operated by two persons, a driver and a weapons officer, the four-wheeled vehicle had an open canopy and was equipped with a gun turret manned by the weapons officer and a trapper snare. The turret featured two weapon systems, a machine gun and a missile flechette. (KAF)

Stone, Samwell: A male human and one of the colonists involved in the Legato incident in 2179. Stone was once a high-ranking member of the military, inhabiting the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, when an unknown traumatic event ended his career. As a civilian, Stone's life took a downward spiral into alcoholism and lethargy. At some point, Stone was contacted by a recruitment bureau that wanted to enlist him for work at an Outer Rim colony. He initially ignored the calls, but eventually decided to take the chance for a new life far away from the harrowing events that had scarred him.

1. Aboard the Legato

However, while en route to its destination, the colony ship was hijacked by Weyland-Yutani forces shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. Stone and the other colonists were brought to the science vessel Legato to serve as hosts for Xenomorph breeding experiments, using eggs freshly collected from the Derelict on LV-426. Stone was awoken from cryosleep, only to witness a Xenomorph outbreak claiming the vessel. He learned that the Legato had docked to a military transport named the Sulaco and made his way through the carnage intending to reach the Sulaco and call for help. Accompanied by another colonist named Turk, Stone rescued a third colonist named Lis- beth Hutchins from being killed by a Weyland-Yutani PMC. Together, they made their way to the Umbilical leading to the Sulaco, where Hutchins left the group in order to look for her parents.

2. A new ally

Stone and Turk passed through the Umbilical and entered the Sulaco, where they found the survivors of the Hadley's Hope incident stored in cryotubes. The two proceeded to awake Corporal Dwayne Hicks, as he was the last USCM officer aboard and could prove valuable in getting word out about the incident. However, shortly after Hicks was awakened, Weyland-Yutani forces arrived at the scene, and a firefight ensued during which an electrical fire occurred that caused the ship's computer to evacuate the cryotubes aboard an EEV. Turk got trapped inside Hicks' empty tube by a Wey-Yu PMC, and Stone and Hicks had to watch helplessly as all the EEVs were ejected. After the PMCs had been defeated, Stone urged a distressed Hicks to carry on, and the two fought their way to a security checkpoint and geared up on their supplies. Then, the two devised a plan: While Hicks would try to establish a communications uplink, Stone would prepare the ship's Ser- vice Skiff in Engineering, the only remaining means of escape. Shortly after the two separated, Hicks commed Stone with bad news: A comm uplink from the Sulaco was impossible, and the only way they could get the message out was to travel to nearby Fiorina 161 and use the comm array of the local penal colony. On his way to the Skiff, Stone was contacted by Hutchins, who informed her that she would soon set the Legato to self-destruct. Stone and Hicks knew that the Sulaco was still tethered to the research vessel and would go down with her, so the two met on the starboard weapon deck and used one of the Sulaco's plasma turrets to destroy the Umbilical. At Engineering, Stone re- fueled the skiff while Hicks prepared the flight data and helped releasing the docking clamps. When preparations were finished, Stone and Hicks launched the skiff on its two-day trip to Fiorina 161.

219 3. Final fate

When Stone and Hicks entered the penal colony, they witnessed the final events of the Fury 16 incident. Inside the blast furnace, Bishop II plead with Ripley to surrender her and the Queen embryo inside her to him. Ripley refused and jumped into the molten metal, sacrificing her life to end the nightmare. Shortly after, Weyland-Yutani PMCs captured Stone and Hicks and brought them to Michael Weyland's research frigate on LV-426, where they underwent severe interrogation. Stone was executed when it turned out that he had no useful knowledge regarding Hicks' message. (A:CMVG_SI)

Stuart-Rose, Kathryn: A female human working as a Weyland Cybernetics spokesperson. Stuart- Rose formulated the corporation's public response to the malfunction of a limited number of David 7 androids in 2071. (PR:WIW)

Sublims: A technology to enhance media broadcasts with signals that subconsciously stimulate and manipulate the viewer. Used during the late 22nd century. (A:B1 – O)

Subsonics: A technology combined with media broadcasts that subconsciously stimulate and manipulate the viewer using acoustic signals outside the human hearing range. Used during the late 22nd century. (A:B1 – O)

Sulaco: The Conestoga-class military space transport that was used for the recon mission to LV-426 in 2179 that would result in the Hadley's Hope incident and the Sulaco and Origin incidents later that year. The 13th ship of the series and fitted with the “block 74” revision at the time of the incident. Prior to this fateful assignment, the Sulaco already had a colorful history: During a combat situation in orbit of Linna 349, she was severely damaged by ASAT missiles and was later involved in a fatal docking accident at Gateway Station that cost five people their lives.

1. Role during the Hadley's Hope incident

In 2179, the Sulaco was used for transporting the team tasked with investigating the communication breakdown with the colony on LV-426. The ship was loaded at Gateway Station and departed from there to reach its destination in three weeks' time. The Sulaco carried two UD-4 Cheyenne utility dropships for landing the team on the planet, of which one was used for initial deployment. Later, the Sulaco was remote-accessed and the second dropship was called down for evacuating the survivors after the first dropship had been destroyed. The ship received the dropship with the last survivors who had barely escaped the colony's destruction, and its docking bay was the site of the final battle against the Xenomorph Queen that had been able to reach the Sulaco as a stowaway. After the creature had been flushed out of the airlock, the passengers set the Sulaco on course back to Earth and entered hypersleep.

2. The Legato incident

In the aftermath of the Hadley's Hope incident, Weyland-Yutani were the first faction to locate the Sulaco. A Company vessel – the Legato, which just had left LV-426 with a cargo of Alien eggs retrieved from the Derelict – was sent to the site in order to board the military vessel and eliminate all evidence pointing to Weyland-Yutani's involvement in the Hadley's Hope incident. After the arrival, an Umbilical link was established between the Legato and the Sulaco, and Company scientists and

220 PMCs began their investigation. In the meantime, the UPP had also learned of the ship's whereabouts and sent a small covert ops, which had managed to secretly infiltrate the vessel and retrieve data from the damaged Bishop synthetic. However, a Xenomorph outbreak occurred aboard the Legato, which quickly spilled over to the Sulaco and decimated both the Wey-Yu PMCs and the UPP team. Only one UPP member named Eva survived and went into hiding. Meanwhile, the Sulaco had reached Fiorina 161. Stone and Turk, two colonists who had escaped from the Legato, awoke Corporal Hicks from cryosleep, only to be ambushed by Weyland-Yutani PMCs. During the ensuing fight, Turk got trapped inside Hicks' cryotube, and a ricochet hit the Facehugger on Ripley's face, causing an electrical fire that prompted the ship's computer to launch the remaining cryotubes aboard their EEVs, which set course to Fiorina 161. As Stone and Hicks had no chance to send a distress call from the Sulaco itself, the two hijacked a Service Skiff and traveled to Fiorina 161 to use the penal colony's comm array.

3. The Sulaco incident

The Sulaco was temporarily declared lost, but was eventually located drifting near Gamma Leporis by Space Command at O'Niell Station, and a USCM team was sent to investigate aboard the sister ship Sephora. Charlie Squad was deployed in three fire teams tasked with securing the command center, retrieving the flight recorder and locating a life signal on board which had been detected by an advance team. Upon discovering the Xenomorph population on the Sulaco, Fire Team Fox proceeded into the hive, killed the Queen and captured the source of the life signal, which turned out to be Eva. The Xenomorph presence was reported to USCM headquarters, which ordered the Sephora to leave the Sulaco to engage the UPP on LV-426. The Sulaco itself was left in the hands of con- tracted workers sent by Weyland-Yutani, mainly consisting of synthetics and led by a representative named Sean Davis. The Company used the ship to receive a cargo of Xenomorph eggs and left for the Mars moon of Phobos, where Weyland-Yutani scientists would take over the eggs. During the flight, the cargo containers were breached, and a second infestation emerged on the Sulaco. USCM forces again killed the Queen by blowing it out of the ventral airlock and subsequently left for Pho- bos to investigate. When the marines returned to the Sulaco, open hostilities emerged between the USCM and Weyland-Yutani. The Company had now set course for Mars where powerful allies waited to secure the Xenomorph specimens aboard. The USCM made two unsuccessful attempts to prevent the ship from reaching its destination, first trying to self-destruct the ship by deactivating the cooling system, then by attempting crash the Sulaco into the surface of Mars. Both plans were thwarted by Davis, who had activated several overrides, giving him control over vital systems of the ship. During the final confrontation between the marines and the Xenomorph Empress, a large explosion ruptured the hull of the Sulaco. After the creature had been killed, the USCM forces retreated, and the Sulaco was left drifting into deep space near Mars, its course altered by the explosion.

4. The Origin incident and final fate

Shortly after the Sulaco incident, Weyland-Yutani found the Sulaco and sent a contingent of PMCs, who reclaimed the ship. Company Scientists set up research posts to observe the remaining Xenomorph population, an operation which was dubbed Project Ilithyia. Some time later, the Su- laco was relocated to the orbit of LV-426 to assist in the investigation of the Derelict. However, on December 14, 2179, the USS Sephora returned to the Sulaco with a new crew to perform a second investigation. Soon, the USCM marines came into conflict with both the Xenomorphs and the Wey- land-Yutani PMCs aboard the Sulaco. The mercenaries of the Company proceeded to attack the Sephora with the Sulaco's weapon systems, to which the Sephora responded in kind. Taking dam-

221 age, the Sephora marines were eventually forced to evacuate to the Sulaco. A group of marines succeeded in reclaiming the bridge and disengaged the weapon systems of the Sulaco, but it came too late to save the Sephora from destruction. Due to the punishment dealt by the Sephora and the subsequent collision with its debris, the Sulaco was damaged beyond repair as well. As the USCM troops made their escape to LV-426, both the Sulaco and the Sephora were caught by the world's gravity well and crashed on the surface, resulting in their definite destruction. (A2, A3, A:INF, A:CMVG, A:CMVG:SI, A:CMTM)

Sulaco Actual: The call sign of the Sephora's commanding officer Lieutenant Jeremy Cruz after he was forced to evacuate to the Sulaco during the early stages of the Origin incident in late 2179. (A:CMVG)

Sulaco incident: A military campaign of the USCM corps revolving around the first USCM retrieval of the Sulaco shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. Taking place not only on the derelict Sulaco, but also on LV-426 and a Weyland-Yutani installation on the Mars moon of Phobos, the incident pitted the USCM soldiers stationed aboard the USS Sephora against the Xenomorphs, the UPP and the Weyland-Yutani corporation. The Sulaco incident was the first of two incidents involving the Sephora and the Sulaco, the second one being the Origin incident in late 2179.

1. Prelude I: Aftermath of Hadley's Hope

The Sulaco was originally sent to LV-426 to investigate a communications breakdown with the colony of Hadley's Hope on LV-426. Only a handful of individuals survived the encounter with the Xenomorphs at the colony, and after the crisis had ended, the survivors returned to the Sulaco and departed for Earth. Before leaving LV-426, The USCM corps was sent a short report by the Bishop model assigned to the mission. Shortly after, the Legato incident, involving the eponymous Wey- land-Yutani science vessel, had caused a Xenomorph infestation aboard the Sulaco. By the time of the outbreak, a small UPP force had entered the vessel, but was decimated by the creatures, leaving only a woman named Eva as the sole survivor. Fearing for her life, Eve went into hiding inside the bowels of the ship.

2. Prelude: II: USCM investigation

The Sulaco was temporarily declared lost by the USCM corps, who contacted Weyland-Yutani to ask for possible information concerning the fate of the ship. Soon after, however, O'Neill Station located the vessel drifting near Gamma Leporis in the Outer Rim. An advance team was sent to assess the condition of the ship and performed bio-scans which discovered the life signal of a single individual. The USCM decided to perform a full-scale investigation and assigned the USS Sephora under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Steele to this task.

3. Boarding the Sulaco

After arriving at the location of the Sulaco, Steele deployed Charlie Squad, with Fire Team Delta ordered to secure the command center, Fire Team Echo's mission being the retrieval of the flight recorder and Fire Team Fox receiving the task to locate the single human lifeform reported by the advance team. Another objective was to sync the Sulaco with the Sephora via a data terminal in order to facilitate operations aboard the ship. Steele ordered his teams to be cautious as the Sephora's sensors had received strange readings from inside the Sulaco. Additionally, the ship was under lockdown, so the marines initially had very limited access to the ship's sections.

222 It was not long until Fire Team discovered traces of the UPP presence in the form of a dead UPP soldier and Combat Androids left behind in the corridors. Eventually, Fire Team Fox reached a data terminal and made the Sulaco's schematics available to Steele and their fellow marines. The terminal also enabled Steele to remotely deactivate the lockdown, which opened up every door and elevator that was not restricted by key card access. While continuing the search, the soldiers found traces of a Xenomorph infestation inside the vent shafts. Fire Team Fox eventually caught up with the life form signal, who turned out to be Eva, the last survivor of the UPP task force. The marines arrived at the scene just as a Xenomorph was attacking the UPP woman. The soldiers dispatched the creature, but Eva managed to flee deeper into the bowels of the ship. At the same time, the Xenomorphs revealed themselves to the other fire teams and attacked them. Fire Team Fox chased Eva throughout the Sulaco and suddenly found themselves in the middle of the Xenomorph hive. After the marines defeated the resident Queen, they finally managed to capture Eva. With fights erupting on the entire vessel and casualties mounting, Steele ordered a complete retreat to the Sephora. Fire Team Fox extracted safely together with the other surviving marines and handed their prisoner over for interrogation. Soon, Eva revealed that they had extracted the mission data from the Bishop android and followed it to LV-426 where the UPP had already proceeded to construct an outpost near the Derelict to harvest the Xenomorphs. While the Sephora departed for LV-426 in order to thwart the UPP's plans, Weyland-Yutani, a contract partner of the USCM corps, secured the Sulaco under the pretense of repair work and analyzing.

4. USCM intervention against the UPP

After arriving at LV-426, Steele ordered a large-scale attack against the UPP installation. While multiple fire teams engaged UPP forces at the outpost, Fire Team Fox was assigned the mission to infiltrate the installation and destroy the two Celestial Defense Guns and the radar dish, all the while proceeding with caution and remaining undetected as long as possible. After performing a covert landing near the outpost, Fire Team Fox successfully entered the compound. While traversing the base, the soldiers detected the beginnings of a Xenomorph infestation in the air ducts. Al- though Echo had to procure explosive devices on-site due to damage to the original charges, the marines succeeded in their mission, destroying the gun towers and the radar dish. Meanwhile, chaos erupted among the UPP forces as the Xenomorphs came out of hiding and began to slaughter the soldiers. Soon, air space over the installation became too crowded for a dropship extraction at the outpost, and Echo was ordered to retreat to a secondary landing zone at the Derelict. The marines used the mayhem at the base to their advantage and escaped the outpost aboard a hijacked APC, with the Xenomorphs hot on their heels. By the time the APC had reached the Derelict, the Xenomorphs had done considerable damage to the vehicle, causing it to crash into the pilot chamber of the wreckage. A sudden communications breakdown turned out to be the least of the soldiers' problems as the monstrous Space Jockey Alien, a Xenomorph which had originated from the Derelict's pilot, attacked the intruders. In a dramatic confrontation, the marines eventually killed the creature and were extracted to the Sephora in orbit soon after. During the engagement, Steele had discovered through a contact at the MCIA that Weyland-Yutani, supported by powerful allies in the military, planned to claim the Xenomorph for use as a bio- weapon. Knowing that the creatures could not be controlled, Steele and Fire Team Fox decided to go rogue and prevent the Company from getting their hands on the Xenomorph. After learning that Weyland-Yutani was about to transport Xenomorph specimens from LV-426 to the Sulaco, the Sephora returned to the site.

223 5. Sulaco revisited

After Fire Team Fox had landed on the Sulaco, Steele informed the soldiers that the Company planned to bring the specimens to a research station on the Mars moon of Phobos and ordered the marines to destroy the freighter with the Sulaco's weapons before it would reach the ship. However, Fire Team Fox was intercepted by a Weyland-Yutani representative named Sean Davis, who was accompanied by a USCM marine named Jimmy Kim. Kim, oblivious to the machinations of Weyland- Yutani, informed the new arrivals that the Sulaco had already rendezvoused with the freighter and received the cargo. The Echo marines warned Kim to order his men to stay clear of the cargo, but it was already too late: Contact to the marines in the main cargo bay had broken off. As Fire Team Fox wanted to depart to eradicate the Xenomorphs, Davis intervened and tried to talk the marines out of their plans. He attempted use the connection between Weyland-Yutani and the USCM as leverage and threatened to ruin the careers of the soldiers, but to no avail. Unimpressed by Davis' arguments, the marines proceeded to investigate the ship while Kim went to the cargo bay to check up on his comrades. Early on, Fire Team Echo encountered numerous Weyland-Yutani synthetics who were now roaming extensive sections of the Sulaco. A transmission by Kim eventually confirmed the worst: The deadly cargo had escaped. After exploring the main cargo hold, Fire Team Fox was ordered to head to the lower hangar, from which Steele received inconclusive sensor readings. Upon arrival, the soldiers found themselves confronted by a Queen once again. It is unknown whether the original Queen had survived the previous encounter or if the hive had bred a new matriarch. When conventional weapons and a Powerloader proved ineffective against the creature, the marines devised a new plan: lure the Queen to the airlock and blow it out into space. Despite Davis' sabotage of the airlock controls, Fire Team Fox eventually succeeded in getting rid of the Queen. But there was no time to rest as the Sulaco had already arrived at Phobos. Steele tried to hail the research base, but got no response. Therefore, Fire Team Fox was assigned the task to enter the research facility and investigate.

6. Recon mission on Phobos

Upon arriving at the base, Fire Team Fox found the facility deserted. A short time later, the marines discovered that access to the communication tower was blocked by sentry guns. The soldiers concluded that the staff had fortified themselves inside the tower for unknown reasons. Unable to overcome the barrier with the available ordnance, the marines ventured into the subterranean parts of the installation in order to find an override device that would gain them access to the tower. After entering the research station proper, Fire Team Fox found out that the scientists had fallen victim to another Xenomorph infestation. The purpose of the facility became clear shortly after: The researchers had run extensive breeding experiments with Xenomorph eggs procured from an unknown source. Under unspecified circumstances, the scientists had lost control over the Xenomorphs and fallen victim to the escaped creatures shortly before the arrival of the Sulaco. Dur- ing the exploration of the facility, Fire Team Fox also encountered a unique Xenomorph subspecies resulting from experiments with Simians in addition to the human-bred Aliens. Deep down in the bowels of the research station, the marines eventually managed to locate the override device and returned to the surface. The comm tower was now open for investigation, but hopes of finding survivors dwindled to nothing during the exploration of the tower. On the uppermost floor, Fire Team Fox discovered not only the corpses of those who had holed up in the tower, but also the creature that had presumably killed them: A gigantic variety of the Simian Aliens that had roamed the lower floors of the facility. The monster proved to be a formidable foe, but was finally defeated by the marines. With the investigation concluded, the soldiers were ordered to return to the

224 Sulaco to hold Davis responsible for the existence of the creatures on Phobos and end the Xenomorph infestation aboard the vessel for good.

7. Showdown on the Sulaco

Upon arrival on the Sulaco, Fire Team Fox were met by Davis. During the conversation, the Com- pany man revealed himself to be a cold and reckless individual who was worried only about the survival of Xenomorph specimens on Phobos and considered the research staff to be expendable. When the marines voiced their determination to exterminate the Xenomorphs aboard the vessel, open hostilities emerged. Davis left the scene, ordering accompanying PMC forces to kill the USCM soldiers. After dispatching the mercenaries, Fire Team Fox pursued Davis throughout the ship. During his escape, Davis had initiated Operation Almond, which turned all Company synthetics hostile to the USCM. The chase was cut short when Davis managed to jam the Sephora's sensors and disappear from Steele's tracker, leaving the marines no other option but to commence a general sweep of unexplored parts of the Sulaco. Meanwhile, Steele analyzed the mission data and came to the disheartening conclusion that the Xenomorph infestation was too much to handle for the forces present. Worse, the Sulaco had been directed to fly to Mars, where the Xenomorph would not only fall into Weyland-Yutani's hands, but could also reach the colonies, risking an infestation of unprecedented proportions. Steele saw only one possible solution: the destruction of the Sulaco. Therefore, he ordered Fire Team Fox, who were exploring the reactor section at that point in time, to disable the cooling regulators. The marines managed to disable the regulators, only to find out that the vessel had a fail-safe against overheating. Now, Steele devised a bold new plan: Fire Team Fox was ordered to alter the course of the ship to crash it right into Mars. Using zero-g suits to circumvent inaccessible areas, the marines finally gained clearance to the command center. Unfortunately, Davis had already enacted an emergency override, making all attempts of Fire Team Fox to alter the course impossible. Davis contacted the soldiers over the intercom system, gloating about his triumph and informing them that forces were underway to retake control over the Sulaco and secure the Xenomorph specimens. However, his arrogance gave Steele enough time to pinpoint Davis' location. Soon after, Fire Team Fox confronted the Company man inside a large cargo bay in the belly portion of the Sulaco. Davis remained defiant until a new threat made her appearance: The Xenomorph Empress that had taken control of the Aliens on board. After killing Davis, the Empress attacked the marines, and a final confrontation ensued. Eventually, the Empress collapsed under the firepower of the soldiers, but the fight had caused explosions that had ruptured the outer hull. Fire Team Fox quickly evacuated and Steele ordered a retreat, believing that the explosion had altered the course of the ship enough to hide it from Davis' associates. Leaving the Sulaco drifting in space near Mars, the Sephora withdrew.

8. Aftermath

Unfortunately, while the Xenomorph infestation on the Sulaco had suffered a severe throwback due to the death of the Empress and Davis was dead, the Sulaco was soon found by Weyland-Yutani forces. Due to pressure from the Company's powerful allies inside USCM, the original crew of the Sephora was disbanded. However, USCM command continued to track the Sulaco, and when command received part of Hicks' distress call and the ship was reported orbiting LV-426, a second recon mission was launched. Again, the USS Sephora was assigned to the task, now under the command of Lieutenant Jeremy Cruz and outfitted with a new contingent of USCM soldiers. This second encounter would culminate in the Origin incident. (A:INF)

225 Sumatran Guild: A supplier of electronic equipment for spaceships active during the late 22nd century. Cheap, but low-tech. The Coast Guard used Sumatran Guild tech, an example being the Dut- ton at the time of the discovery of the Junket in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Super Facehugger: An alternate term for the Queen Facehugger.

Synapse Reestablisher: A device capable of reactivating brain and nervous activity of a deceased or dying person for a limited amount of time through electric stimulation of dormant neurons in the patient's brain cells. Weyland Industries patented the device under the file number 18,364,003 on August 16, 2071. Due to the risk and need for medical skill and accuracy involved in using the device, only nine Synapse Reestablishers were in use by the 2070s, restricted to top-level scientists in medical schools and research centers. At that time, the device was still awaiting FDA approval. During the LV-223 incident in 2093, a Synapse Reestablisher was used by Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and Dr. Ford to reactivate a severed Mala'kak head. Unfortunately, the stimulation proved to be too strong and, in combination with a Black Goo infection, led to the explosion of the head. (PR:WIW)

Synapse Scrambler: A stun gun. Legal models are locked at a range of ten meters, although there are Synapse Scramblers available on the black market that double the range. Wilks used such a black market model while rescuing Billie from Feildcrest Home in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

*** T ***

T-2 Troop Ship: A troop transport vessel used by the USCM during the late 22nd century. (A:B1 – O)

T-bag: A derogatory term used for agents of the Terran Intelligence Agency. (A:B1 – O)

T.I.P.E: An acronym for “Technological, Intellectual, Physical, Emotional”. Used by Weyland In- dustries to describe and promote the conceptual components of its David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Tagg Colony: A mining and refining colony on HD 10697 bm established in 2061. Would sport a population of 5.5 million by the year 2071. Key resources were methane, ethane and oxygen. (PR:WIW)

Tanaka: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident in 2179. Tanaka was part of Rhino 2-1's foray into the Sulaco and suffered heavy injuries during the Xenomorph attack. After the team had retreated back to the airlock, Tanaka went into cardiac arrest. A fellow marine named Paluski attempted to revive him, but his final fate is unknown. (A:CMVG)

Tanaka 5: A desert planet. Notable as the homeworld of the Scorpion Alien subspecies, which originated from a large scorpion-like creature indigenous to the planet. Was once home to a small hive of Scorpion Aliens, consisting of 39 workers and a Queen. (KAF)

Tark-Weyland Station: A research station on the planet JPG-973C installed to observe the bacteria colonies on the planet. By 2071, it housed a research staff of 67. (PR:WIW)

226 TCC: Abbreviation for Terran Communications Commission. In 2192, the TCC investigated the illegal broadcasting of Salvaje's message in the name of the Church of Immaculate Incubation, questioning his technician Pindar in the process. (A:B1 – O)

TED: Abbreviation for Technology Entertainment Design. An annual conference founded as a platform for the presentation and development of innovative ideas for various topics, including science, culture and technology. On February 27, 2023, Sir Peter Weyland delivered a speech at that year's TED conference, where he presented his vision for the future of Weyland Industries for the benefit of mankind. The speech was attended by over 35,000 visitors and was viewed online over 76 million times. (PR:WIW)

Telecommunications and Standardization Governing Body: An institution active during the late 21st century that regulated and licensed communication technology for Earth and colonized space. (PR:WIW)

Terran Intelligence Agency: A global intelligence service active during the late 22nd century. Ab- breviated as TIA. During the prelude of the Earth War in 2192, the TIA was instrumental in tracking down the machinations of Salvaje and his cult, the Church of Immaculate Incubation. (A:B1 – O)

Thanatos: A massive freighter and the site of a Xenomorph outbreak, the Thanatos incident, in the second half of the 22nd century. The Thanatos was a huge vessel that spanned a length of over four kilometers, dwarfing even military ships such as the Conestoga-class transport. The Thanatos was destroyed during the Thanatos incident when the USCM team involved set the self-destruct mechanism after all survivors had been evacuated. (A:TE)

Thanatos encounter: See *Thanatos incident*

Thanatos incident: A Xenomorph outbreak aboard the freighter Thanatos in the 2170s, some time before the Hadley's Hope incident. Also known as the Thanatos encounter. The exact origin of the outbreak aboard the Thanatos is unknown. What is known is that, as expected, the Xenomorph population quickly grew to a considerable size and decimated a large portion of the human inhabitants. The survivors spread all over the ship, barricading themselves or roaming the ship in search of help. Meanwhile, the Xenomorphs set up a hive in the living quarters section of the ship. At an unknown point in time during the outbreak, one or several crew members managed to set off a distress beacon. Eventually, the distress beacon was picked up by a USCM Conestoga-class vessel which carried a contingent of Colonial Marines back home to Earth from a training mission. Following proper procedure, MOTHER woke up the soldiers and set course for the Thanatos. The investigation was commenced two-fold. While a recon team led by Corporal Brooke landed in the docking bay of the ship aboard a UD-4L Cheyenne-class dropship, the Conestoga-class transport connected directly to the Thanatos using one of the freighter's docking arms and would serve as a safe haven for the civilians rescued during the incident. Immediately after the landing, Brooke and his comrades secured the docking bay and erected a command post there. From there, the team fought their way to the cargo bays, eliminating Xenomorphs and rescuing surviving crew members along the way. The next objective was to enter the main body, but an elevator malfunction stranded the marines in a secluded area of the cargo bay. After killing an unspecified large Xenomorph roaming the section, the USCM soldiers found an alternate route into the actual ship. An assessment of the ship's condition was devastating: Most of the interior has been claimed or destroyed by the Xenomorphs. The team eventually found and rescued

227 a scientist, who pointed the marines to a prototype weapon stored inside the crew quarters: The Smart Gun. Shortly after the team had reached the living quarters and secured the weapon, the commanding officer aboard the USCM Conestoga-class vessel informed the group that all survivors had been found and that the evacuation of the Thanatos was underway. Meanwhile, Brooke's soldiers reached the hive and killed the Queen in a fierce battle. At the same time, the other USCM members completed the evacuation and armed the self-destruct mechanism of the freighter. Brooke and his team escaped the Thanatos in the nick of time aboard their dropship and flew to the mother ship, which already had moved to the minimum safety distance. With the crisis over and all survivors alive and well, the transport resumed its course to Earth. (A:TE)

Themis Outpost: A colony on the planet KOI-2410. Established in 2071, it sported a population of 6,500 and was notable for being the outermost human settlement as of 2071. Its industry focused on mining. Key resources were scandium, yttrium and cerium. (PR:WIW)

Theory Of Alien Propagation: An audiovisual presentation created by Dr. Waidslaw Orona detailing his research on the Xenomorph life cycle. The document was commissioned by the military and highly classified, requiring a clearance of A-1/a to access, with severe penalties for illegal access which were detailed in the MILCOM regulation 342544-A, Revision II. Apart from explaining the Xenomorph life-cycle itself, the presentation also included hypotheses such as that of a fight for supremacy among Queen Chestbursters shortly after birth and the existence of natural enemies on the homeworld maintaining an ecological balance. It also theorized on the role of the Mala'kak to be regular harvesters of Xenomorph eggs, dubbing such individuals Collectors. (A:B1 – O)

Third Base: A USCM military base and research facility active during the Earth War in the 2192. Located on a remote planetoid roughly the size of Luna, Third Base was the site of the eponymous project to domesticate Xenomorphs and its disastrous conclusion known as the Spears incident.

1. Description

As a full-fledged human settlement, Third Base was equipped with a pressure dome and gravity generators, allowing Earth-like living conditions. At one point, Third Base was home to 500 marines and 48 scientists, although that number dramatically decreased during Spears' administration. Power was provided by a dedicated fusion plant. Water for sanitary purposes was drawn from the ice reservoirs of the world's underground caves. The compound also featured a large hangar bay with a roof-mounted access hatch and was large enough to house several large transport vessels. For its scientific purposes, Third Base featured extensive research facilities, including a fully isolated section and a large breeding chamber housing the Queen and her hive. Long-range communication hardware enabled the base tor receive broadcasts from as far a distance as Earth. The base was not equipped with stationary defense weaponry, but had a large park of hoppers and crawlers at its disposal. At least some of them were armed with military-grade weapons, such as a crawler armed with computer-operated recoilless guns firing 20mm expended uranium armor-piercing tracer rounds.

2. History

The exact date of Third Base's creation is unknown, but not its circumstances. In the beginning, civilian colonists populated the underground caverns of the planetoid and set up a terraforming plant, housing 168 individuals. Once the world became self-supporting, construction of Third Base began. At an unknown point in time, the facility became the site of experiments aimed at domesticating Xenomorphs to use as soldiers. The base and the project fell under the administration of Gen-

228 eral Thomas A.W. Spears. Over time, his behavior became increasingly radical, causing him to in- vade the terraforming colony and establish a breeding stock for Xenomorphs there, using the colonists as incubators. The situation came to a head during the Spears incident in 2193. A mutiny instigated by USCM marine Wilks and Spears' second-in-command Powell caused Spears to leave the planetoid with his Xenomorph army and head to Earth. While doing so, he crippled the drives of all stationed vessels capable of interstellar travel. This left the personnel stranded at Third Base. The final fate of the facility is unknown. (A:B2 - NA)

Third Base project: A project under USCM administration to condition and domesticate Xenomorph Drones to use them as soldiers. Located at its namesake, the military and research facility Third Base situated on a remote planetoid, the project objective was to produce a weapon against the Xenomorph infestation on Earth in the 2190s, thus classifying it as a Priority One mission. Act- ing as administrator was USCM General Thomas A.W. Spears. The project met a disastrous end during the Spears incident in 2193.

1. Description

The objective of the Third Base project was to domesticate the Xenomorph to a degree where it not only ceased to act hostile towards humans, but also was able to take and follow orders, with the ultimate goal to turn the organism into a loyal and powerful army. While the experiments also had a chemical component, the tool used most was behavioral conditioning. Discovering that the Queen, possessing far superior intellect, commanded the actions of her Drones using an unspecified link, Spears conducted exercises making use of this link. One trial had a human test subject locked in with a Drone, with the Queen watching from a separate cage. When the Drone attacked the human, Spears proceeded to punish the Queen by burning her eggs. The trial seemingly proved successful, to the point where Spears thought that he was able to control the Queen merely by showing her the fire of his cigar lighter. However, the experiment was actually a failure: The Queen had merely played along, patiently waiting until the time would come to reclaim her hive. A bizarre side project was an experiment in which the scientists attempted to train the Drones in the operation of firearms, using modified M-69 Machine Guns. While the Aliens were never able to properly aim at and hit a target, they actually managed to hold and fire the guns. Drones deemed ready for his army were put into stasis tubes filled with fluropolymer fluid. The addition of a hypnotic chem fluid ensured that the Drones remained docile.

2. History

The exact date of the project's inception is unknown. Likewise, there is no data regarding possible earlier projects at Third Base. What is known is the fact that this project started out with a staff of 500 USCM soldiers, 48 scientists, 15 workbots and an unknown number of low-grade androids, plus 168 colonists at the neighboring terraforming colony. The notable history of the project began with General Spears taking command of the operation. Some time later, presumably during the early stages of Earth War, Dr. Orona arranged for a young Queen to be sent to Third Base. At last, the project was able to begin the application phase. The results came quick and were positive. Meanwhile, the base's comm systems were able to receive the signals from the spysats and civilian satellites in Earth's orbit. However, Spears' mental state began to deteriorate, which soon affected the project. One occurrence in particular is evidence of this: For unknown reasons, a conflict erupted between Spears and the colonists, during which the civilians shut down the beacon of its base to protect themselves. Spears

229 retaliated by seizing the colony under the pretense of a viral infection caused by the terraforming process. He locked away the colonists in solitary quarantine cells and used them as breeding cattle for a secondary hive inside the colony. Eventually, the whole population was decimated, and the colony firmly in the hands of the Xenomorphs. Spears continued to use the hive for research purposes, such as simulating human breeding conditions and further acclimating the creatures to human authority. The fate of the colonists and the existence of the second hive were kept secret from lower- echelon troops. As the life support systems of the colony were automatic, no personnel had to be involved in the maintenance of the nest. Shortly before the Spears incident, the hive had grown large enough to create a second Queen, which would later be discovered when Spears took care of a group of dissidents who had fled to the colony. Conditions inside the base were equally dire. Due to Spears' paranoia, his marines were not allowed to roam the base armed. Perimeter sweeps were to take place every four hours. Slight missteps or minor instances of dissent were punished by feeding the offenders to the Queen and its entourage. By the time the Spears incident took place, the marine staff had been reduced to roughly 250 women and men, amounting to a death toll of 400 when including the colonists. Rumors and tales of Spears' madness persisted, and dissidence began to stir in secret. One particular person harboring such thoughts was Major Eugene Powell, Spears' second-in-command. The Spears incident, which would spell doom for the Third Base project, began with the arrival of an automated cargo drone, the American. After the landing, three stowaways revealed themselves: Wilks, a Colonial Marines, Billie, a civilian, and Mitch Bueller, an android. Powell, sensing an opportunity to stop Spears, enlisted Wilks to help him organize a mutiny. The coup d'état turned into open warfare between Spears and his loyalists and the dissidents. Spears eventually gained the upper hand and eventually quelled the uprising. Believing that his Xenomorph army was ready for its task, he ordered his men to load the creatures onto the transport vessel MacArthur, while he himself would depart on the Jackson. Seemingly intent to take his loyal men with him, he also told his soldiers to board the Grant, another of the transports present at the base. As Spears departed, however, he crippled the drives of all ships at Third Base, including the Grant, stranding his men on the planetoid. The final fate of Third Base and its staff is unknown. The project itself would revealed to be a colossal failure when Spears eventually landed with his army in the Natal province in South Africa, Earth. Finally free, the Xenomorphs completely ignored Spears commands. The creatures promptly killed the general and joined their kin. (A:B2 - NA)

Thompson, Hank: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Husker”. Thompson was born in the first half of the 2150s in a small town in Nebraska, where he would also spend his childhood and youth. At the age of 17, Thompson married his high school sweetheart. The Thompson family had owned Thompson Valley Farms since around the turn of the 21st century, and Thompson was set to inherit the agricultural enterprise. When a lightning storm all but destroyed the farmland, Thompson enlisted into USCM service in order to take care of his family. He underwent Recruit Training at MCRD Parris Island, followed by Infantry Training at Camp Geiger. Af- terward, Thompson was stationed at Camp Jejune. Now, he was finally able to relocate his family to North Carolina. Shortly afterward, he was assigned to serve during Operation Arcturan Freedom. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Thompson was ranked Lance Corporal. During an engagement on the Sulaco, Thompson got separated from his team, but later joined up with Fire Team Fox to continue the fight. (A:INF)

Thompson Valley: A valley in Nebraska. Was owned by the Thompson family and the site of Thompson Valley farms. The farmland in Thompson Valley were largely destroyed by a wildfire in the 2170s. (A:INF)

230 Thompson Valley Farms: An agricultural enterprise maintained by the Thompson family and situated at Thompson Valley, Nebraska. The company was largely ruined when a wildfire destroyed the farmland in the 2170s. (A:INF)

Thoradin: A tranquilizer. Side effects may be feelings of suffocation. Was administered to Billie during the late stages of her unsuccessful treatment at Feildcrest Home. (A:B1 – O)

Thousand Canyons: A cluster of canyons on the remote planetoid where Third Base was located. One notable characteristic of the Thousand Canyons was that they were littered with heat faults. During the Spears incident in 2193, a small group of Third Base marines gone AWOL chose the Thousand Canyons for their route to the terraforming colony, using the heat faults to mask their thermal signature. (A:B1 - NA)

TIA: See Terran Intelligence Agency.

Titus-Carmel 7: A planet in the Claro system. Vids report that pigs with wings live on the planet. (A:NE)

TNR: A high-powered halogen white-light lamp system that is mounted onto an M3 Personal Ar- mor. Is powered by a rechargeable internal battery and comes equipped with a carrying handle for autonomous usage. (A2, A:CMTM, A:CMVG)

“Top”: A nickname some members of the USCM unit involved in the Hadley's Hope incident used to refer to their leader, Gunnery Sergeant Al Apone. (A2)

Tolentino: A male human and one of the Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident. Was part of Rhino 2-1's foray into the Sulaco and suffered heavy injuries during the ensuing Xenomorph attack. Tolentino managed to retreat back to the airlock together with the other surviving team members, but his final fate is unknown. (A:CMVG)

Toros Field: An advanced force field technology used in the 23rd century. A Toros field works by bending space instead of creating an ordinary barrier, resulting in a loop that sends any unwanted object farther back the way it came the more it tries to enter the field. The field can be disabled by throwing one or several orb-like deactivation devices into the field. (A:NE)

TQ4.0.48215E9: The USCM ID code of Corporal Dwayne Hicks. (A:CMVG)

Triazolam: A medicine created to treat insomnia. Was used during the late stages of Billie's treatment at Feildcrest Home in the 2190s. (A:B1 – O)

Trilobite: A squid-like creature originating from the Black Goo chemical weapon. Encountered during the LV-223 incident in 2093, where Dr. Elizabeth Shaw was infected with the organism.

1. Anatomy

Two development stages of the Trilobite are known. In its infant stage, it is roughly half a meter long and resembles very much a squid with a pale white pigmentation, sporting four tentacles ending in an elongated head section. The adult form of the Trilobite creature is much larger, between

231 five and seven meters in length. In this incarnation, the creature has seven tentacles, with three on each side and a central tentacle at the front. A mouth-like orifice surrounded by sharp teeth is located on the ventral side of the creature, hiding the long retractable tube it uses for oral impregnation. An additional set of six smaller tentacles is situated around the impregnation orifice, used to fixate the head of a potential host.

2. Purpose

The primary purpose of the Trilobite organism is to impregnate a suitable host with the Deacon embryo it carries, a striking similarity to the Xenomorph Facehugger. The adult creature is strong, re- lentless and aggressive and was able to subdue an Engineer during the LV-223 incident. As its Xenomorph counterpart, the Trilobite dies after impregnation.

3. Conception and development

The Trilobite originates from human sperm infected by the Black Goo. When this sperm is transmitted by sexual intercourse, the infant form of the Trilobite is conceived and begins gestation inside the woman's womb, similar to a normal conception and pregnancy. The organism is extremely adaptable to the human organism, being able to prompt it to nourish the Trilobite via an umbilical cord, and can thrive even in a sterile host. After impregnation, the creature grows rapidly, reaching its full length in a time span of roughly ten hours. Nothing can be said about how a Trilobite eventually leaves its host because the creature was removed prematurely by Dr. Shaw. (PR)

Trinomine: A psychotropic drug. Overdosage can cause permanent brain damage. Trinomine was one of the drugs administered to Billie at Feildcrest Home during the late stages of her unsuccessful treatment. (A:B1 – O)

Troy: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident in 2179. Troy was killed during the climactic bait and chase aimed at luring the Alien into the facility's blast furnace. (A3)

Trubetskoy, S.: One of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time of the incident. Was killed when Trubetskoy's squad, unfamiliar with the biological characteristics of Xenomorphs, fired upon a Drone that was locked in close combat with Trubetskoy, spraying the soldier with the creature's acid blood. (A:CMVG)

True Messiah: A term coined by Salvaje, the leader of a cult named the Church of Immaculate In- cubation, to describe the Xenomorph. (A:B1 – O)

TS-1: A high-level clearance for documents of the Bionational corporation. Several documents surrounding Bionational's machinations during the prelude to the Earth War in 2192, including Biona- tional Internal Memorandum 385769.1 and Bionational Internal AV 42255-1, required a TS-1 clearance. (A:B1 – O)

Tsuronomai: A planet rich with ore. In the 24th century, mankind maintained a colony on this world. (A:OS)

Turk: A male human and one of the colonists involved in the Legato incident in 2179. While en route for a colony in the Outer Rim, Turk and his fellow colonists got abducted by Weyland-Yutani

232 forces and were transferred to the advanced research vessel Legato. The ship carried Xenomorph eggs collected in the aftermath of the Hadley's Hope incident, and the scientists intended to use Turk and the others as hosts for breeding experiments. At an unknown point in time, Turk awoke from cryosleep. Later, during the Xenomorph outbreak aboard the vessel, he joined forces with another colonist named Samwell Stone. Together, they made their way through the ensuing chaos and eventually rescued a third colonist named Lisbeth Hutchins. Stone and Turk's plan was to enter the Sulaco, which was connected to the ship, in order to call in for USCM reinforcements. At the Umbilical, Hutchins left the group to pursue her own agenda, and Turk and Stone moved on and boarded the Sulaco. After discovering a USCM Corporal named Hicks in a cryotube, the two awoke the marine in hopes for assistance. However, before the three could leave, Weyland-Yutani PMCs discovered and attacked the intruders. During the ensuing fight, a PMC shoved Turk into an empty cryotube and closed the lid shut. Due to damage resulting from gunfire, the ejection sequence was initiated, and Hicks and Stone had to watch helplessly as the EEVs were ejected, with Turk, Ripley and Rebecca “Newt” Jorden on board. Turk was killed when the EEV crash-landed on Fiorina 161, but his body was so severely disfigured by the crash that the prison personnel mistook the body for that of Corporal Hicks, officially declaring him KIA. (A:CMVG_SI)

Tzu-Chi City: A colony on the planet KOI-1422.02. Established in 2060, it would boast a population of almost 4.5 million by the year 2071. Its industry largely focused on transportation, earning a reputation of maintaining state-of-the-art facilities for this sector. Further aspects of Tzu-Chi City's industrial portfolio were mining and refining. Key resources were cerium, lithium, nickel and copper. (PR:WIW)

*** U ***

U4 Firebomb: An incendiary hand grenade manufactured by Armat and used by the USCM corps. Loaded with Napalm-B, which creates fires with a temperature of up to 1200 degrees Celsius.

UA 571 Remote Sentry Weapons System: A sentry gun system used by the US Army and the USCM corps in 2179. With a weight of less than 20 kilograms, the UA 571 can be carried by personnel without assistance and requires less than 150 seconds to mount. The system consists of the gun itself, a tripod mount and a remote console. A radius of a full 360 degrees is possible, although it is recommended to install several sentries with smaller surveillance arcs. The sensor array of the gun is situated at the front of the gun and covers a cone of 60 degrees. Tracking and detection methods include infrared sensors, ambient light optics, a motion tracker and a lidar and support individual profiles to identify targets with known emission characteristics. The data is fed to a laptop-sized remote console, where the operator can survey various data like ammunition counts and set the sentry gun to one of three operation settings: “Auto-remote” sets the gun to identify targets using an IFF signal and fire automatically. “Semi-auto” and “manual override” relays the data to the operator who then decides whether to fire the sentry or not. Several variants of UA 571 with different weapon types exist, the most common being the UA 571-C. (A2, CMTM)

UA 571-C: The most common variant of the UA 571 remote sentry gun, sporting a pulse action machine gun that fires M250 10mm x 28 HEAP ammunition with a rate of 1100 rpm from a 500-round ammo drum. This model was used by the USCM squad involved in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179 to successfully defend the temporary headquarters in the colony's old command center against a Xenomorph onslaught. (A2, CMTM)

233 UA 571-D: A variant of the UA 571 sentry gun equipped with a HF laser. (CMTM)

UA 571-F: A variant of the UA 571 sentry gun equipped with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. (CMTM)

UA 575 Remote Sentry: An advanced sentry gun type. Improving on the UA-571, the UA-575 features higher accuracy and boasts heavy armor that renders the gun immune to gun fire and small explosives. Weyland-Yutani used these guns to defend section of the Phobos Research Station and the Sulaco from intruders during the events involving the Sulaco incident. (A:INF)

UD-4 Cheyenne-class dropship: A line of dropships used by the USCM in the late 22nd and 23rd century. In accordance with a Department of Defense requirement formulated after the Tientsin conflict, the UD-4L can lift up to 16 tons from orbit to the surface and back, the equivalent of four fully-equipped infantry squads or one M577 APC, including passengers, in the later models. While primarily designed as a dropship, the UD-4L actually fills additional roles on the battlefield, such as transporting goods or using its considerable armament to act as a fire support gunship. Models of the series include the UD-4B, UD-4C, UD-4E, UD-4H, UD-4J and the most advanced and most famous variant, the UD-4L. (A2, A:INF, CMTM)

UD-4B: The original production variant of the Cheyenne-class dropship series. Powered by Atco Wyoming F23 turbines. In comparison to later models, the UD-4B is 1.5 meters shorter, bringing the ship to a total length of almost 24 meters, and lacks the secondary weapon pods. (CMTM)

UD-4C: A gunship variant of the Cheyenne-class that introduced the secondary weapon bay and the front-mounted gatling gun system to the series. (CMTM)

UD-4E: An upgrade of the UD-4B, sporting F29-L13 turbines that improves the performance in atmospheric flight. (CMTM)

UD-4H: A Cheyenne-class variant that is considered a landmark stage of the line. The ship's length was extended by 1.5 meters to a total of over 25 meters, making it the first version able to carry the M577 APC. New TF-900 turbines were added as well, in addition to a broad-spectrum sensor array and a command datalink. (CMTM)

UD-4J: An UD-4 variant with an upgraded airframe. (CMTM)

UD-4L: The epitome of the Cheyenne-class dropship line. Weighs 18 tons unloaded and has a length of roughly 25 meters. As the latest and most advanced model in the UD-4 series by the year of 2179, the UD-4L boasts a significant upgrade to its sensors, defense systems and firing control. Two UD-4Ls were used by the USCM squad involved in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179.

1. Airframe

The airframe of the UD-4L is constructed around a central payload bay, specifically designed to provide enough space to hold the M577 APC. Aside from its boarding ramp on the ventral side, the ship can be accessed by personnel through a port side entry. The UD-4l is operated by a crew of two people, one being the pilot and the other being the weapons officer. The weapons are arranged in two main pods on both sides and two secondary weapon pylons that can be folded out if needed.

234 However, with the secondary pods extended, the UD-4L is unable to achieve supersonic speed. Pro- tection is mainly provided by a covering of Venlar ballistic armor.

2. Propulsion and computer systems

The ship is powered by two Republic Dynamics TF-900 turbines, while TF-200/A-14 ramrockets can provide high-level speed between Mach 2 and Mach 12. The airframe is designed to withhold maneuvers up to 6g. Stealth characteristics are the rounded profile and laser and radar absorbents. Additionally, the UD-4L is shielded against a numerous range of detection methods. The UD-4L is controlled and directed via a Herriman-Weston 5/480 mainframe equipped with a semi-intelligent software. In addition to manual interaction, the ship's computer also supports voice-control. Com- munications are processed by an AN/ASC-155 datalink, offering a broad range of frequencies and options.

3. Sensors, countermeasures and weapons

Compared to its predecessors in the UD-4 line, the UD-4L underwent drastic improvements to its sensor suite. The sensor input is handled by a two-fold TFRDS system, divided into the ATLIS sub- system for offense data and a half-automated TIAS system for defense-relevant data. An advanced radar suite is capable of handling up to 150 targets at the same time, sporting a range of 250 km. Additional features include an IAT image tracking system and an emission detection system, short EDS. The UD-4L is also equipped with an AN/ALQ-2004E defense system divided into four sub- systems for jamming detection systems and enemy fire (AJS and FCJS), counteracting missiles (MDS) and decoy solutions (DDS). As jamming systems send out a tell-tale signal, the defense system can be set to operate only when needed. For maximum efficiency and an additional decoy option, the pod containing the jamming systems can be ejected in tow up to 50 meters behind the ship. The weapons of the UD-4L can be handled by both the pilot and the weapons officer. Targeting input is directed to the HUD of the pilot or the weapons officer's eyepiece. The main weapon bays can each be equipped with sixteen 150mm and six 70mm unguided warheads and four 120mm guided missiles. The secondary bays each provide additional 14 hardpoints for ordnance. A 25mm gatling gun of the GAU-113/B variant is mounted at the front beneath the cockpit, capable of handling various ammunition types. (A2, A:INF, CMTM, A:CMVG)

Umbilical: A horizontal, sealed docking shaft that is used to connect two starships in space for direct personnel and small cargo transfer. Features artificial gravity and a telescope structure that enables the Umbilical to be extended over its normal length as needed. Shortly after the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179, the crew of the Weyland-Yutani science vessel Legato connected to the Sulaco using an Umbilical. Soon after, a Xenomorph outbreak occurred aboard the Legato. The Umbilical was still attached to the Sulaco at the time and enabled the creatures to enter the military transport and spill the infestation to the other vessel. A colonist aboard the Legato then intended to activate the self-destruct of the science vessel, which would obliterate both ships as they were still linked by the Umbilicial. The Umbilical was destroyed by Hicks and Stone using the plasma weapon of the Sulaco, mere seconds before the Legato exploded. Several weeks later, the USS Sephora used an Umbilical to deploy marines on the USS Sulaco in the beginning stages of the Origin incident. As Winter passed through the Umbilical, an explosion aboard the Sulaco critically damaged it, causing the structure to leak atmosphere. Knowing that the Umbilical would collapse soon, Winter hurried to complete its objective. He arrived back in time with another marine named Keyes in order to bring the flight recorder of the Sulaco back aboard the Sephora. However, while traversing the Umbilical, Keyes gave birth to a Chestburster. In his death

235 throes, Keyes detonated a grenade, destroying the Umbilical and severing the connection between the two ships. (A:CMVG)

Umbulu: A male human and the science officer aboard the Nostromo on the five hauls prior to the Nostromo incident. Two days before the departure from Thedus in 2121, Umbulu vanished under mysterious circumstances and was replaced by Ash. However, given Weyland-Yutani's intention to secure a Xenomorph specimen from LV-426, it is highly probable that the Company had arranged Umbulu's disappearance. (A:OS)

Ungar, Hermann: A male human and an ex-marine working for Weyland-Yutani at the turn of the 23rd century. Sported a cynical character and was part of a team assigned with the task of protecting Company interests by eliminating Xenomorph infestations on Weyland-Yutani-owned planets in the wake of the Earth War. During one of these missions, Ungar was impregnated by a Facehugger, leaving his colleague Anders Kramm no other option than to kill him. (A:NE)

Union of Progressive People: A socialist faction of human civilization active during the second half of the 22nd century. Often abbreviated as UPP. By the end of the 2170s, the UPP had claimed a large portion of colonized space. It also had a considerable military force at its disposal, consisting of infantry, combat androids, prefab bases, military transport vessels and at least one heavy battle cruiser. While the US-controlled civilization was not in open conflict with the UPP, the relationship was tense, similar to the Cold War in the 20th century. At an unknown point in time, a treaty had been formed that prohibits armed vessels from crossing over into the other party's territory to ensure a tenuous peace. One notable difference in politics was that, unlike the United States, the UPP does not grant synthetics citizenship rights and instead regarded them as machines.

1. Investigating the Sulaco

One notable military conflict between the USCM and the UPP took place in the wake of the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. The UPP located the US vessel and sent a small scouting party to investigate. The team was supported by a contingent of combat androids and were led by an operative named Eva. The ship inserted the team onto the Sulaco and retreated to a safe distance in order to avoid detection. The team eventually stumbled upon Bishop's cryotube and extracted data regarding the Hadley's Hope incident from him, sending it over to the UPP for analysis, which, seeing the potential of the Xenomorph as a bio-weapon, sent a sizable military force to LV-426 to establish a presence and harvest Xenomorph eggs from the Derelict.

2. Escalation

However, while the scouting party were still investigating, a Weyland-Yutani vessel named Legato docked to the Sulaco. The Xenomorph infestation on the Legato quickly spread over to the Sulaco and decimated the UPP party, leaving Eva as the only survivor, who went into hiding. Meanwhile, the US military also learned of the Sulaco's whereabouts and sent an advance team to secure the location. The team picked up Eva's life signal and reported it back. A full investigation by the USCM soon followed, and it was Fire Team Fox which received the task of locating the single life signal. The team eventually managed to capture Eva, and the subsequent interrogation revealed the UPP's operation on LV-426 to the USCM.

236 3. Battle on LV-426

In the meantime, the UPP had erected a large prefab military outpost near the Derelict. However, due to the carelessness of the personnel, a Xenomorph infestation was already spreading through the ventilation systems. Soon after, the USCM launched a large-scale assault on the outpost involving air and ground forces. Amidst the mayhem, the Xenomorphs also began to openly attack the UPP soldiers. These two circumstances contributed to the complete destruction of the outpost. (A:INF)

United States Colonial Marines: An American military peacekeeping force for deployment on off- world colonies. Established by the National Security Act in 2101. Often abbreviated as USCM or referred to as simply “Colonial Marines”. Every member carries a magnetic femur implant containing his or her ID. (A2)

Unity City: A colony on the planet Gliese 581 d. Boasted a population of almost 4,5 million by the year 2071. Exploiting the planet's massive reserves of industrial diamonds, the colony's industry was focused on mining, refining and light and heavy manufacturing. Besides diamonds, Unity City's key resources were lead, zinc, nickel and niobium. (PR:WIW)

UPP: Abbreviation for Union of Progressive People. See *Union of Progressive People*.

USCM: Abbreviation for United States Colonial Marines. See *United States Colonial Marines*.

Ute Colony: A colony on the planet KOI-1430.03. Established in 2070, it would sport a population of 75,000 one year later. Its industry focused on mining operations that used advanced technology, increasing the output by 130 percent. Ute Colony also featured an industrial sector for energy. Key resources were magnetite, hydrogen and oxygen. (PR:WIW)

*** V ***

V4: A visitor room in the Feildcrest Home mental ward. Was the location of Wilks' visit to Billie during the prelude of the Benedict mission in 2192. (A:B1 – O)

Valles Colony: Mankind's first colony on Mars. Founded in 2040, it housed almost 17 million inhabitants by the year 2071. Valles Colony was mainly established to mine and process the planet's rich deposits of rare metals. The colony's industry additionally consisted of light and heavy manufacturing. Key resources were niobium, europium, neodymium, copper and chromium. (PR:WIW)

Van Leuwen, Paul: A male human acting as the chairman of the inquiry of Ellen Ripley about the fate of the Nostromo at Gateway Station in 2179. Van Leuwen dismissed Ripley's report of the Xenomorph and Ash's involvement and, together with the rest of the committee, decided to have Ripley's flight license revoked. Van Leuwen also informed Ripley after the inquiry that LV-426 has been colonized during her 57 years of hypersleep. (A2)

Vanderaart Outpost: A colony located on KOI-87.01. Was founded in 2058 and would boast a population of 10 million by 2071. Vanderaart Outpost was known as the manufacturer of a wide range of consumer and commercial products. The colony's industry consisted of light and heavy manufacturing, mining and refining. Key resources were aluminum, titanium, chalcopyrite, beryl and tungsten. (PR:WIW)

237 Vanora: A female human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Thanatos incident in the 2170s. By the time of the incident, Vanora was 19 years old and ranked Private. Vanora was part of the fire team led by Corporal Brooke that killed the Xenomorph Queen aboard the vessel. She escaped with the rest of her team before the Thanatos self-destructed. (A:TE)

Vasquez, Jeanette: A female human serving the USCM as a smart gun operator, sporting the rank of Private in 2179. Was part of the recon mission involved in the Hadley's Hope incident. Vasquez was involved in the ambush inside the Xenomorph hive of the colony, during which she inadvertently caused the death of her brother-in-arms and fellow smartgunner, Drake, by killing a Drone near him, causing its acid blood to spray all over his comrade. Devastated, Vasquez tried to take out her anger on Gorman after Ripley's rescue, but was held back by the other surviving members of the squad. She later reconciled with Gorman and sacrificed herself together with him to cover the escape of the last survivors to the second dropship. (A2)

Vat-scat: A derogatory term for androids. A notable example for individuals using this term was General Thomas A.W. Spears. (A:B2 - NA)

Vick: A male human. Brother of Billie and son of Sarah and Russ. Born into the terraforming colony on Rim. Vick took part in the family expedition to the crashed Mala'kak ship in the Valley of the Iron Fingers and was later killed during the Xenomorph outbreak that followed. (A:B1 – O)

Vickers, Meredith: A female human and a Weyland Industries representative participating as a company supervisor in the Prometheus mission to LV-223 in 2093. Daughter of Peter Weyland.

1. Early life and prelude to the Prometheus mission

As the daughter of Weyland Industries' CEO, Vickers had been in service of the corporation for her entire life. Initially, she respected and admired her father, but when his age progressed and his vision began to deviate from Weyland Industries' interests, Vickers' feelings changed to suspicion and contempt, feelings compounded by the enormous amounts of money and resources he seemingly squandered on funding Project Prometheus and its search for mankind's origin at the hands of an extraterrestrial race. When a journey to make contact with these Engineers came within reach, Wey- land, now an old man, decided to secretly join the mission in order search for means to prolong his life. Vickers was strongly opposed to the idea and joined the crew on short notice to protect company interests. She would not only have to deal with her father, but also with a David 8 android specifically programmed by Weyland to follow his agenda. While the two were the only crew members aware of Weyland's presence, they were far from being allies. As the research vessel Prometheus was being outfitted, Vickers chose her quarters to be situated in the separate lifeboat section in order to be prepared for any unforeseen events.

2. The LV-223 incident

On December 21, 2093, the Prometheus reached its destination. Vickers had programmed her cryotube to wake her in advance and was back to consciousness some time before the rest of the crew. Later, she held a briefing where she informed the crew of her role as a supervisor and ordered Dr. Shaw and Dr. Holloway to refrain from making contact with the Engineers should the opportunity arise. After the landing on LV-223, Vickers remained on the bridge to observe the first foray of the scientists into the pyramid near the landing zone. After a storm had forced the team to return to the

238 ship, Vickers was present during the autopsy of an Engineer head found in the pyramid. During the night, she went back to the bridge, presumably to check on the scan of the pyramid, and ordered Janek to her quarters where they possibly engaged in sexual intercourse. Next day, Vickers was again on the bridge to observe a search mission for the missing scientists Fifield and Millburn. Of greater interest to her, however, was David's own exploration of the facility. She ordered him to link his camera to her display, only to be cut off by the android when he entered the Juggernaut. When Dr. Holloway's body, infected by the Black Goo chemical weapon, rapidly failed and the team rushed back to the ship to save him, Vickers refused to allow him into the ship due to the risk of contamination. When Dr. Holloway begged her to kill him and approached her, Vickers saw no choice but to immolate him with a flamethrower. After Weyland had been awakened and underwent preparations to commune with the last living Engineer, Vickers made a last unsuccessful attempt to warn her father. After witnessing the disastrous outcome of the contact with the Engineer and her father's death, Vickers ordered the ship to depart for Earth. Janek, who had promised to prevent the Black Goo from reaching Earth, ignored her orders and rammed the ship into the departing Jugger- naut after he had ejected Vickers' lifeboat. Seconds before impact, Vickers escaped the Prometheus in an escape pod. Soon after, Vickers was crushed by the rolling wreck of the Juggernaut. (PR)

Vincent: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. He was one of the prisoners killed by the Xenomorph during the last-ditch effort to lure the creature into the facility's blast furnace. (A3)

Virens: A mutation affecting Xenomorph Drones, resulting in green and earth-colored highlights on their skin. (A:CMVG)

Voxcom: A voice communication technology. Commonly part of EVA suits. (A:B2 - NA)

VP70 Pistol: A sidearm pistol used by the USCM corps. Standard clip holds 20 bullets. The VP70 was used by the marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. (A:INF)

Vriess: A male human and one of the smugglers involved in the Auriga incident. Chief engineer of the Betty. Had been wounded during a battle and has since then been confined to a wheelchair, which he used to conceal a shotgun kit. When the Xenomorph outbreak started, Vriess was at first isolated from the rest of the Betty's crew, but eventually managed to catch up with the survivors. He liked Call and still defended her when she was revealed to be an android. Vriess was one of the few survivors of the incident. Vriess stayed with the survivors of the Auriga incident and helped Ripley on her quest to learn more about the mysterious Loki organization Call had found out about. During this time, he also began an intimate relationship with Bolero, the new pilot of the Betty. Vriess also played a vital role during the Domes Epsilon incident, helping in the raid of Byzantium Station and using his skills as a mechanic to cut a way into Domes Epsilon after the main bay had been shut down due to sabotage. (A:RES, A:OS)

*** W ***

W-Y 21S Arc Round: A secondary firing attachment developed by Weyland-Yutani consisting of an under-slung launcher which fires electrically charged rounds that are capable of temporarily im- mobilizing a target. Compatible weapons include the MK221 Tactical Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

239 W-Y 2x Telescopic Zoom Sight: A sight attachment developed by Weyland-Yutani. Features a telescopic sight with a 2-times magnification zoom and a wedge-shaped targeting reticule. Compatible weapons include the NSG 23 Assault Rifle. (A:CMVG)

W-Y 88 Mod4 Stock Iron Sight: An iron sight designed by Weyland-Yutani for the 88 Mod4 Com- bat Pistol. Components of the system are highlighted by green LEDs to provide orientation in low- light environments. (A:CMVG)

W-Y AF13 Shotgun: A secondary firing attachment manufactured by Weyland-Yutani that equips the weapon with an under-slung 12-gauge shotgun which fires high-density buckshot rounds. Com- patible weapons include the NSG 23 Assault Rifle. (A:CMVG)

W-Y BL11 Firearm Muffler: A silencer attachment developed by Weyland-Yutani that consists of a threaded steel barrel that slows down the escape of propellent gases, resulting in decreased volume of fired shots. Compatible weapons include the NSG 23 Assault Rifle. (A:CMVG)

W-Y C43 Extended Magazine: A magazine upgrade for small firearms developed by Weyland-Yu- tani. Manufactured from lightweight plastics, the upgrade increases the rounds per magazine by 9 to a total of 27 rounds at minimal additional weight. Compatible weapons include the 88 Mod4 Com- bat Pistol. (A:CMVG)

W-Y C47 Box Magazine System: A weapons mod developed by Weyland-Yutani for the MK221 Tactical Shotgun. Replaces tube-fed loading with a box magazine, dramatically reducing loading times. (A:CMVG)

W-Y H34 Fragmentation Rounds: A secondary firing attachment developed by Weyland-Yutani that adds an under-slung fragmentation round launcher to the weapon. Fires a high-explosive round consisting of a 15mm miniature warhead and gas propellent with a damage radius of two meters upon impact. Compatible weapons include the NSG 23 Assault Rifle and the MK221 Tactical Shot- gun. (A:CMVG)

W-Y ID16 Incendiary Shells: A secondary firing attachment developed by Weyland-Yutani that fires highly flammable buckshot round consisting of a thermite/phosphorous mixture able to deal fatal damage to organic targets upon impact. Compatible weapons include the MK221 Tactical Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

W-Y ID23 Incinerator Unit: A weapons attachment developed by Weyland-Yutani that adds a flamethrower unit spraying a fuel/magnesium mixture at an effective range of eight meters. Com- patible weapons include the NSG 23 Assault Rifle. (A:CMVG)

W-Y L14 Laser Targeting System: A laser targeting attachment developed by Weyland-Yutani. Consists of a side-mounted LED laser synchronized with bullet trajectory, thus providing accuracy over an extended distance. (A:CMVG)

W-Y MK221 Stock Iron Sight: An iron sight designed for the MK221 Tactical Shotgun by Wey- land-Yutani. Components are highlighted by green LEDs to enable usage in low-light environments. (A:CMVG)

240 W-Y NSG 23 Stock Iron Sight: An iron sight developed for the NSG 23 Assault Rifle by Weyland- Yutani. Components are highlighted by green LEDs to provide orientation in low-light environments. (A:CMVG)

W-Y R2 Recoil Dampening Stock: A gun stock attachment manufactured by Weyland-Yutani. Re- duces the effects of weapon recoil using a hydraulic counterweight system. Compatible weapons include the MK221 Tactical Shotgun. (A:CMVG)

W-Y RE93 Absorbing Stock: A spring-loaded stock add-on developed by Weyland-Yutani that uses adjustable tension springs to decrease recoil. Compatible weapons include the NSG 23 Assault Rifle. (A:CMVG)

W-Y S91 Dot Reflex Sight: A zero-magnification sight attachment manufactured by Weyland-Yu- tani featuring an LED red dot. Compatible weapons include the NSG 23 Assault Rifle, the MK221 Tactical Shotgun and the 88 Mod4 Combat Pistol. (A:CMVG).

W-Y SR4 Burst Fire Modification: A rifle mod designed by Weyland-Yutani for the NSG 23 As- sault Rifle, featuring an improved fire mechanism that increases the rounds per burst from 3 to 5. (A:CMVG)

Walkner, Andreas: A male human serving as a ranking officer aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in late 2179. (A:CMVG)

Wallace: A male human and one of the crew members of the Prometheus during the LV-223 incident in 2093. Wallace was among the personnel killed when the mutated Fifield returned to the Prometheus and wreaked carnage inside the ship's cargo bay. (PR).

Wal-Mart 2000: A deluxe laser torch offered by Wal-Mart. Had customizable settings for aperture and level of intensity. The Wal-Mart 2000 can be used for repair work, but is also suitable for heavy-duty tasks. Vriess used a Wal-Mart 2000 to cut a hole into Domes Epsilon during the Domes Epsilon incident in the mid-80s of the 24th century. (A:OS)

Wal-Mart Runabout: A small, solar-powered vehicle offered by Wal-Mart. The staff at the botanic space colony Domes Epsilon used these vehicles to navigate through the expansive habitats and also during the evacuation of the station during the Domes Epsilon incident. (A:OS)

Walters: A human and one of the marines participating in the Benedict mission in 2192. Walters was among the soldiers herded into the hive structure. When the mission turned sour, Walters managed to contact Wilks aboard the Benedict and inform him about the situation. On Wilks' orders, Walters activated a beacon, enabling Wilks to pinpoint the location. Immediately after, Walters was killed by a Xenomorph onslaught. (A:B1 – O)

Wan An Outpost: A colony on Gliese 876 d. Founded in 2053 and housing a population of over 11 million by 2071. Taking advantage of the rich plantlife introduced during terraforming, Wan An Outpost had a rich industry consisting of agriculture, light manufacturing and electronics, exploiting the key resources lumber, water and niobium. (PR:WIW)

Washenfelder, J.: A male human and one of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. Washenfelder escaped the destruction in orbit

241 to the surface of LV-426. Had a very high opinion of his strength, but was proven otherwise during the incident when a Xenomorph Drone threw him off a cliff, killing him. (A:CMVG)

Watanabe, Yoshi: A male human and a member of the team of scientists assigned to the cloning project aboard the Auriga in the late 24th century. It is unknown whether Watanabe escaped the Au- riga during the Xenomorph outbreak or died aboard the ship. (A:RES)

Watkins, P.: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident. Ranking Lieutenant at the time of the incident, he was respected as a capable leader and a hard-boiled fighter. Watkins was impregnated during the incident and eventually died from the erupting Chest- burster, but there are eyewitness reports claiming that Watkins used his last breath trying to strangle the creature. (A:CMVG)

Watson, Jasper: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “Iron Sights”. Watson was born around 2130 as the child of a poor family in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. In order to escape these circumstances, Watson joined the USCM corps at the age of 16, falsifying his age in order to be recruited. Shortly after finishing infantry school, Watson was called into active service at Sheldon's Pass and later at Helene 215 as part of the 2nd battalion, 9th regiment. He would distinguish himself in combat in the years to come, first during the Tientsin campaign, where he was awarded with a Bronze Star, then as part of Operation Arcturan Shield, which would earn him the Silver Star. Watson would later serve on Linna 349, where he suffered injuries from shrapnel. However, this would do little to prevent him from returning to active duty shortly after. By the time of the Sulaco incident, Watson had achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and was considered a veteran among his peers. During an engagement aboard the Sulaco, he became separated from his comrades, but later joined Fire Team Fox to continue the fight. (A:INF)

WCCF-73: A designation on the Weyland Industries website for the module containing a recording of Sir Peter Weyland's speech at the TED conference 2023. (PR:WIW)

WEA-Tech: A conference for the weapon research industry. When Bionational came into possession of a Xenomorph Queen, Bionational wanted to hold off an official announcement and instead prepare a promotional campaign for the WEA-Tech conference. However, the Earth War ruined these plans. (A:B1 – O)

Webster, Emmett: A human male and the author of the book “The Evolution of Television”.

Wells: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Wells survived the destruction in orbit to escape to Hadley's Hope and participate in the final battle with Weyland-Yutani. (A:CMVG)

WEY: The stock ticker of Weyland Industries. (PR:WIW)

Weyland Advanced Space Exploration Suit: An advanced space suit manufactured by Weyland Industries. Introduced on August 11, 2064. Featured a cadium exoskeleton capable of protecting the wearer in hostile environments, with an optional iridium-coated laser-resistant light armor upgrade available. A nano-reinforced composite helmet featured an advanced display with a virtual 360 de-

242 gree field of vision and a HUD showing information such as mission details, data analysis, vitals and available environment stats. (PR:WIW)

Weyland, Charles Bishop: A male human and the founder of Weyland Industries. Born in New York City, USA, in 1958. During his time, he was considered a leading mind in the field of robotics, and subsequently, his likeness would be used for the “Bishop” android. Weyland was already termi- nally ill when he died in 2004 during an expedition to an undisclosed location in Earth's Antarctica. After his death, Peter Weyland took over as CEO of Weyland Industries.

Weyland Cybernetics: The cybernetics branch of Weyland Industries. Notable for developing the landmark David android series. Weyland Cybernetics gained unwanted attention during the limited recall of David 7 androids in 2071. (PR:WIW)

Weyland Cybernetics Logic Design and Research Facility: A Weyland Cybernetics research facility on the planet HD 202206 bm which played a key role in the development of the David 8 android. (PR:WIW)

Weyland Cybernetics Repair Station: A chain of stores operated by Weyland Cybernetics that offered maintenance service for products of Weyland Cybernetics, such as the David android series. Stores existed on Earth and colonized space.

Weyland-Harte Research Center: A research center located in M'Toa Colony on the planet KOI- 448.02. The purpose of the facility was to discover and evaluate new worlds and their potential for research and colonization. (PR:WIW)

Weyland Health: A subdivision of Weyland Industries focusing on developing and manufacturing medical technologies. Established as a result of the restructuring of Weyland Industries in 2072. Building on a prolific legacy as the creator of 90 percent of the landmark medical devices and services, such as the MedPod and the MEDiCS system, Weyland Health employed over 80 million medical specialists who treated 3 billion patients per year by the time of the division's creation. (PR:WIW)

Weyland Industries: An influential and powerful company that was responsible for some of the greatest technological advances of the human race. Headquarters situated in San Francisco, United States of America, Earth. Under the guidance of Sir Peter Weyland, Weyland Industries launched mankind into the stars and introduced cybernetic individuals into society, only to name the two most important achievements. Weyland Industries also developed landmark technologies in the fields of energy, health, weapon research and scientific instruments. The official stock ticker of the company was WEY. By the year 2072, Weyland Industries held almost 3.5 million patents, including 3,000 for rifle technology alone. As of 2073, the company had over 837 million employees and offices and facilities in 160 countries and maintained 63 off-world colonies. Also notable were the charity projects of the company, such as the Little Explorers program, the Explorers Academy and its support for veterans of the Asian Conflict, providing work for 35 percent of them as of 2038. At an unknown date at the turn of the 22nd century, Weyland Industries merged with its former competitor, Yutani Corporation, to form the conglomerate Weyland-Yutani.

243 1. A new king

Weyland Industries was founded at an undisclosed date and had risen to become a prosperous enterprise at the turn of the 21st century. Some time after Charles Bishop Weyland, the acting CEO of the company at the time, had died in 2004, Peter Weyland took over the reigns and launched an aggressive campaign for expansion and technological research. The first great success in the new century was the installation of the Solstice solar panels in Earth's orbit in 2015 as a valuable source for renewable energy. This earned Weyland his first billion and secured the first round of venture capital in the same year. The company used this wealth to accomplish Weyland Industries' biggest achievement as of this date: By reversing global warming in 2016 and curing the common cancer in 2022, Weyland Industries soon rose to a position of incomparable power. During the following 50 years, the corporation's health division would provide scientific advancements that raised the life expectancy by 16 percent for the general population on Earth and by 21 percent for Weyland Indus- tries employees. At the annual TED conference in 2023, Sir Peter Weyland laid out the plans of Weyland Industries to develop advanced cybernetic individuals and to provide the technology to explore space and colonize distant planets.

2. Growth

The following years would show that Weyland had not made idle promises. An early step in these endeavors was the acquisition of technology from a stagnating NASA program called Project Prometheus which it used to complete the JIMO mission and prove the existence of life in Europa's ocean on December 19, 2017. In 2024, the weapon research division of the company presented the Weyland Storm Rifle, a weapon that featured revolutionary advances in performance and would receive further upgrades during the following decades. On January 7, 2025, Weyland Industries finished development on the first version of its landmark David android. Its pioneering in the field of robotics was only slightly hindered by a lawsuit by Yutani Corporation, which Weyland Industries won on December 12, 2029. Continuing a phase where Weyland Industries bolstered its resources, the company acquired the Kepler mission on November 18, 2026, and CERN on September 18, 2029. On March 31, 2028, Weyland Industries announced that it had reached a market capitalization of 100 billion dollars in a record time span of 5 years. Further acquisitions, which were published on April 3, 2032, were those of Northrop Grumman, Boeing, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin.

3. Pioneer in space exploration

The first major steps towards exploration of space were made by Weyland Industries with the discovery of Cryosleep technology in 2028 and FTL travel in 2032. One year earlier, the beginning of the terraforming process on Earth's moon had marked the first application of the Atmosphere Pro- cessor technology outside of Earth, where it was a vital instrument in the reversion of global warming almost two decades earlier. In 2034, Weyland Industries completed the first spacecraft with FTL technology, the Heliades class. On May 11, 2035, the NSF lifted its restrictions on the commercial use of androids, clearing the way for the release of Weyland Industries' first David android model intended for commercial use, David 3, on June 30, 2035. In the same year, the company expanded its global presence by opening offices in Greece, Antarctica, El Salvador, and South Africa and other countries.

244 4. Expanding the scope

A new incentive for mankind to reach for the stars arose when Weyland Industries discovered the Outer Veil on December 21, 2037, a region in space rich with natural resources. Two years later, Weyland Industries also discovered the planetoid LV-426, 83 years before the Nostromo incident. The date of May 28, 2039, marked the completion of the first breathable atmosphere on another planet by using an Atmosphere Processor on the planet GJ 667Cc. During the following decade, Weyland Industries also began entertaining ties with the government, the first collaboration being the establishment of the first off-world prison colony on the planet HD 85512 b. Weyland Industries provided further essential technology for the exploration of space by developing devices such as the RT01 Group Transport in 2051 and the release of the Weyland Advanced Space Exploration Suit on August 11, 2064, which featured a cadium exoskeleton and an info display showing a variety of information such as mission details, vitals and environment stats. The company was also responsible for inventing the MedPod in 2061, which would be approved by the FDA and enter production nine years later.

5. Reorganization and further endeavors

On November 20, 2065, Weyland Industries furthered its relationship with the government, initiating talks about creating a transplanetary peacekeeping force, which would lay the foundation for the United States Colonial Marines. In 2066, the company was able to significantly reduce the production cost on the David android series, further establishing the model throughout human civilization. On March 9, 2072, Weyland Industries reorganized its structure into seven subdivisions for health, transportation, energy, electronics, terraforming, security and cybernetics. Among the most successful divisions were Weyland Health and Weyland Terraforming, the second-largest of the new sub- sidiaries. 15 percent of company resources were taken by Transportation, focusing on three key aspects, namely FTL, hostile terrain and freight. Yearly transportation statistics during the early 2070s constituted 1.7 billion gigatonnes of cargo transferred and ferrying over 8 million civilians. The culmination of the company's efforts was the relaunch of Project Prometheus on January 1, 2073, which would lead to the LV-223 incident in 2093, after Weyland scientists had discovered classified information vital for the project. (PR, PR:WIW)

Weyland, Michael: An advanced Bishop-type android posing as the CEO of Weyland-Yutani at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. It is currently unknown whether Weyland was an impostor for the human Michael Weyland acting in secret, or if Weyland-Yutani was indeed led by an android. In the wake of the Hadley's Hope incident, Michael Weyland acted as chief administrator and supervisor for the operation of the Origin facility, the Company's efforts being to exploit the Derelict on LV-426 and study the Xenomorph race. During this time, a Weyland-Yutani Research Frigate parked at the facility acted as Weyland's personal headquarters. Michael Weyland was personally responsible for interrogating and torturing Corporal Dwayne Hicks after his capture on Fiorina 161, his main interest to come into the possession of Hicks's incriminating after-action report. Due to the efforts of Weyland's assistant Dr. Richard Levy, Hicks escaped, but Weyland eventually caught up with the two and prevented the sending of a distress call by ordering a missile strike at the comm relay of the Origin facility. Later, when the research facility was overrun by Xenomorphs due to sabotage by USCM marines Winter and O'Neal, Weyland ordered the evacuation and departed aboard his frigate, the last FTL- capable ship on the planet. However, a group of USCM marines managed to infiltrate the frigate in- flight while it was still inside LV-426's atmosphere. Michael Weyland was eventually confronted by USCM soldiers Winter, O'Neal, Hicks and Reid inside his private cabin. When an argument erupted

245 on whether to kill Weyland or not, Hicks, who knew that Weyland was an android, took matters into his own hands and shot the android, revealing his identity as a synthetic to the rest of the group. However, due to special modifications, Weyland's data banks were still intact despite suffering a severe head trauma. Rook, the Bishop model accompanying the USCM soldiers, connected to his brain, retrieving enough information to incriminate Weyland-Yutani for its actions during the Origin incident. (A:CMVG)

Weyland Modular Computing Device: An image, audio and holographic content projector manufactured by Weyland Industries. Abbreviated as WMCD, the device was able to receive live or recorded data from a remote device and project it in the surrounding environment, thus being able to create holographic environments inside the user's room in real-time. First presented in 2024, the device was released in an advanced version in 2073, which was able to fit its technology in a small and handy cube-like shell. A WCMD was used by Dr. Charlie Holloway during the briefing for the mission of the Prometheus upon arrival in the Zeta 2 Reticuli system in 2093. (PR, PR:WIW)

Weyland RLF Reactor: A first-generation, medium-size RLF reactor manufactured by Weyland Industries for use in civilian power grids. Capable of providing steady Terawatt levels of power for 23 million households or 15 million commercial facilities at affordable pricing. The power was generated without pulse for a more replete and efficient delivery. The Weyland RLF generator required little maintenance and had a blackout rate of less than 0.01 percent. (PR:WIW)

Weyland, Sir Peter: A human male and the man responsible for propelling Weyland Industries to the position of the leading corporation in the fields of research and technology in the 21 st century. A charismatic and visionary leader, Weyland believed in the idea of advancing mankind by revolutionary technological concepts and was a strong advocate of the concepts of androids and the exploration and colonization of space. However, the ethical implications of his visions were not without controversy.

1. Early achievements

Peter Weyland was born on October 1, 1990, in Mumbai, India. His father was a self-taught software engineer and his mother a professor of Comparative Mythology, who had studied at Oxford. It soon became clear that Peter Weyland was a child prodigy, and by the time of October 2004, he had already registered a dozen patents, the latest being one for a synthetic trachea based on engineered stem cells. In the following years, he would lead Weyland Industries into an age of unprecedented financial success and influence, gaining a reputation for being a pioneer for new technologies. His first breakthrough for mankind was the reversing of global warming on Earth in 2016, using a prototype of the Atmosphere Processor technology – an achievement for which he would later win his first Nobel Peace Prize in Medicine on December 10, 2017. On July 17, 2016, he was granted knighthood by the Queen of England as one of the youngest individuals ever to receive such honor.

2. Pioneer in space technology and further successes

On December 19, 2017, Weyland acquired the rights to the technology of a NASA project called Project Prometheus and revived the program to later successfully prove the existence of life on Eu- ropa. On February 4, 2023, he went on to win his second Nobel Peace Prize after the scientists in the corporation's health division had effectively cured cancer in 2022. On February 28, 2023, he visited the annual TED conference and delivered a landmark speech in which he presented his vision for the future of mankind. Delivering on his promise to create the first synthetic person in history,

246 Weyland spearheaded the David project, which would improve the concept to perfection over the following decades. During this time, Weyland also used the resources of his corporation to develop the means to launch mankind into space and colonize distant worlds, creating new technologies such as the Atmospheric Processor, FTL travel and Cryosleep.

3. The second life of Project Prometheus

Under Weyland's guidance, the company thrived for the rest of the 21st century. His vision grew even more ambitious and expanded to subjects such as the true origin of mankind and what happens after death. After a spectacular discovery by his scientists in the early 2070s, Weyland launched a new phase of Project Prometheus that would channel his search for answers into one single effort. On August 1, 2078, Weyland learned of the scientific work of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw which inciden- tally dealt with the very notion that fascinated Weyland: The discovery of extraterrestrial involvement in the creation of mankind. Weyland immediately decided to fund her research, sensing that she might hold the key to his answers. In late 2080, Shaw had finally narrowed down the location of a star system from ancient Earth artifacts, and the preparations for an interstellar expedition to this system started.

4. Search for immortality

By 2091, the year of the departure of the Prometheus, Sir Peter Weyland was an old man, whose physical condition deteriorated rapidly. On June 22, he recorded a message in his office on Mars that was intended as a post-hum greeting for the crew of the Prometheus once the ship had reached its destination. However, Weyland had no intention of dying, but instead secretly joined the Prometheus mission in order to ask the creators of mankind to extend his life. His own cryosleep chamber was located in a restricted part of the ship, presumably in the separate lifeboat section installed into the ship. He also instructed the David 8 model of the crew to actively search for any kind of cure for his rapidly failing body or means of communication with the Engineers – without regard for the lives of the crew, if necessary. His presence aboard the ship was a close-kept secret, with only Vickers, David 8 and selected staff members privy to his involvement.

5. LV-223 incident and death

Sometime after David 8 had discovered the Engineer who was kept in stasis inside the pilot chamber of the Juggernaut, Weyland was awakened from cryosleep and went into medical rehabilitation. Intending to awake and communicate with the Engineer, Weyland reinforced his frail body with an exoskeleton and departed for the Juggernaut together with David 8, Shaw and Ford. The Engineer was successfully pulled out from cryosleep, and David, who had studied the language of the race, proceeded to inquire about Weyland's request. The Engineer reacted violently to David's words, ripping David's head off and viciously beating Weyland with it, who succumbed to the injuries shortly after. (PR, PR:WIW)

Weyland Storm Rifle: A revolutionary storm rifle developed by Weyland Industries. After developing technology that would triple the speed and double the accuracy of a rifle in 2024, the company presented the Weyland Storm Rifle on September 10 of the same year. On May 2, 2039, Weyland Industries patented an auto-compensation upgrade for the rifle that would enable the weapon to counteract any adverse atmospheric conditions regarding targeting and firing. By the 2070s, the Weyland Storm Rifle had been used in over 7,000 colonial peacekeeping missions. The weapon

247 would become known as the precursor for the M41A1 Pulse Rifle, and both weapons shared many similarities in design. The Weyland Storm Rifle was a remarkable weapon. Made of heat-resistant micro-perforated titanium and weighing 1.3 kilograms without a magazine, the Weyland Storm Rifle fired its ammunition at a speed of 800 meters per second. It was able to track a target over a maximum distance of 500 kilometers and deliver detailed information about the health and physique of the targeted individual and relay information about whether the target can be locked down. Further systems included satellite-guided target detection. The Weyland Storm Rifle fired 5.56 millimeter uranium carbide spin-stabilized rounds. (PR:WIW)

Weyland Toughened Ceramic Turbine: An experimental turbine technology developed by Wey- land Industries in the 2070s. Around 50 meters in height, these turbines were built using a rare in- dium-silicon matrix combined with nanocomposite tougheners. Working prototypes exhibited anti- 3rd curvature leverage during tests, providing unprecedented levels of power. Weyland Industries stated at the time that this technology might sometime create such fast FTL drives that Hypersleep would be rendered unnecessary. (PR:WIW)

Weyland-Yutani: A conglomerate of two of the most powerful corporations in the history of human civilization. Resulted from the merging of Weyland Industries and the Yutani Corporation around the turn of the 22nd century. Often referred to as “The Company”. By the 2120s, Weyland-Yutani maintained headquarters in San Francisco and Tokyo on Earth, the Sea of Tranquility Colony on Luna, and Thedus. The company was eventually bought out by Wal-Mart. Building on the galaxy-wide infrastructure of Weyland Industries, Weyland-Yutani was involved in numerous colonization efforts by co-financing and providing a wide range of technologies such as Atmosphere Processor components. Combining technological advancements of both original companies, Weyland-Yutani also had a prolific transportation branch, ranging throughout colonized space. The conglomerate additionally expanded upon business relations established between Wey- land Industries and the military branch of human government, leading to defense contracts and close relations to the USCM corps. However, the Company also developed an interest in ethically questionable high-risk black projects, resulting in the formation of a secret bio-weapon division. The pursuit of these interests led to numerous contacts with the Xenomorph organism, and Wey- land-Yutani also played a key role in the events surrounding Ellen Ripley's involvement with the species. While maintaining the public image of a benevolent organization focused on the advancement of humankind, the Company secretly exhibited a ruthless modus operandi, considering human lives as expendable in order to achieve its goals. In late 2179, this policy led to a fallout between Weyland-Yutani and the USCM corps, which was caused by events that transpired during the Origin incident. (A1, A2, A3, A:RES, A:NE, A:OS)

Weyland-Yutani Research Frigate: A science vessel manufactured by Weyland-Yutani. Similar in general design to a Conestoga-class military transport, the Weyland-Yutani Research Frigate spanned a length of roughly 400 meters and was able to land on a planetary surface. In 2179, one such ship was temporarily stationed at the Weyland-Yutani research station surrounding the Derelict codenamed “Origin facility”. The vessel served as the personal headquarters of Michael Weyland, the CEO of the Company, who acted as the facility's chief observer. During the Legato incident, Corporal Dwayne Hicks and colonist Samwell Stone were brought to the ship, where Weyland personally interrogated the prisoners until they managed toe scape by using one of the frigate's EEVs. The Research Frigate was the last ship to leave the planet as part of the Company's evacuation of the installation during the final stages of the Origin incident. Michael Weyland was also present

248 aboard the frigate when it departed. A USCM strike force attempted to infiltrate the ship and use it to extract their own people, but the vessel managed to launch just seconds before their arrival. How- ever, USCM soldiers were able to enter the vessel by crashing into its cargo bay aboard a Cheyenne dropship. After defeating a Xenomorph Queen that had boarded the ship as a stowaway, the marines took over the vessel, killing Michael Weyland and returning to LV-426's surface to extract the rest of the Colonial Marines. (A:CMVG)

Weyland Zero-Loss Lithium-Ion Battery: An update of the conventional lithium-ion battery. Manufactured by Weyland Industries. Used in a wide range of devices in the latter half of the 21st century, the battery combined proven lithium technology with cathodes made of rare metals and nano-layered silicon anodes to provide ultra-low internal resistance and zero memory loss. The system could be deposited on a single-layer graphene base, which rendered such a portable battery nearly invisible. (PR:WIW)

Whistler, Buddy: A male human and one of the USCM marines involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Loves old movies. Nicknamed “Brando” for his uncanny Don Corleone impression. Whistler was born around 2160. Teased in school for his boyish-looking appearance, he joined the USCM corps immediately after high school to prove his tormentors wrong. Whistler stood by his man, completing Marine Recruit Training and opting for a career as an infantry rifleman. The Sulaco incident was Whistler's first combat experience, who ranked Private at the time. He was part of the original Fire Team Fox, which was tasked with tracking down the mysterious single life signal on the Sulaco. Whistler would continue to play an important role during the incident. (A:INF)

Wi-Fi Access Movement of 2029: A global movement with the aim to speed up the development and distribution of communication technology and make it more accessible and secure. Under the guidance and endorsement of powerful partners such as Internet Explorer, the movement was regarded a success and would be continued in order to be applied for colonized space in the 2070s. (PR:WIW)

Wierzbowski, Trevor: A male human and member of the Colonial Marines. Sporting the rank of Private, he was part of the recon mission to LV-426 that resulted in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179. Wierzbowski was killed during the unit's fatal exploration of the Xenomorph hive inside the colony's Atmosphere processor. (A2)

Wilks, David Arthur: A male human and former member of the USCM corps. One of two survivors of the Rim incident and a key individual during the Earth War in the 2190s.

1. Early life and the Rim incident

David Arthur Wilks lost his parents at an early age. His father, Ben, abandoned the family when Wilks was four, and his mother died of breast cancer one year later. He moved to his aunt, Carrie Greene, who lived in a small town in the Southern USA, where he would spend his childhood and youth. While Greene wasn't exactly a loving surrogate mother, Wilks was provided with everything he needed. In 2173, Wilks joined the USCM corps and proved to be an exceptionally capable soldier. Some- time in the late 2170s, Wilks, who had by then risen to the rank of Lance Corporal, and his squad were dispatched to the colony world of Rim to investigate a communication breakdown. After arriving, Wilks and the other marines discovered that the colony had been claimed by a Xenomorph in-

249 festation, leaving only a little girl named Billie as the sole survivor. The squad found Billie, but during the following confrontation, only Wilks and Billie survived to escape from the planet. Despite getting out alive, Wilks had become traumatized and suffered severe acid burns disfiguring his face. After getting back to Earth, Wilks was put into quarantine because the authorities were worried about the possibility that the marine might have been infected due to his contact with the unknown organisms. Wilks was also subjected to an extensive debriefing. Later, he learned of the Hadley's Hope incident, a similar disaster which took place on the colony world LV-426. After six months, during which Wilks underwent medical rehabilitation, the quarantine was lifted, and Wilks was cleared to enter general populace under strict orders to keep silent about the incident. Wilks returned to military service. However, the events had left deep emotional scars, causing Wilks to enter a downward spiral of alcoholism, drug abuse and violent outbreaks, which brought him into conflict with the law numerous times. His record includes jail time for no less than fifteen offenses – nine cases of Stoned & Disorderly, three cases of assault, two cases of damage to property and one case of attempted homicide. This self-destructive behavior was encouraged by the fact that he was shunned by his comrades, who feared that he still was infectious. During the following years, Wilks tried to dig up information about the whereabouts of Billie and the survivors of the Hadley's Hope incident, but without success. All the while, the military kept Wilks in its employ, as he was the only person on hand who had experience with the Xenomorph and could be of use, should the need arise.

2. Revisiting a nightmare

In early 2192, Wilks was spending his time in the brig of a military facility on Earth for another assault charge when he was summoned to a meeting with Dr. Orona, representative of GENstaff, and Colonel Stephens, a high-ranking military. The men informed him of the discovery of the Xenomorph Homeworld from trajectory data of a derelict freighter named Junket and the military's intent to capture an Alien specimen. Given the fact that GENstaff wanted someone with first-hand experience on board, Orona urged Wilks to accompany the expedition. Sensing the opportunity to die fighting the creatures that destroyed his life, Wilks reluctantly agreed. Acting in an advisory position second to the mission's leader, Colonel Stephens, Wilks was awarded the rank of Sergeant and tasked with supervising the loading operations. He also began training an elite group of marines for the mission. However, the marines were actually an advanced type of android, a fact even the marines themselves were unaware of and which only Wilks and few other high-ranking personnel involved were aware of. Wilks also had a clash with Stephens when he ordered plasma weapons to be loaded on board the Benedict, the ship chosen for the mission. Stephens, secretly working for a private corporation named Bionational, countermanded Wilks' order on the pretense of them unnecessarily endangering the retrieval of the specimen. The impending start of the mission also brought Wilks back in contact with Billie. Wilks visited her at the Feildcrest Home mental ward, notifying her of the operation and thus revealing to Billie that she was not crazy and the Xenomorph was real. Billie pleaded with Wilks to take her with him and tried to tell him of the inhumane treatment methods at Feildcrest, but the supervisor immediately stepped in, terminating the visit. Wilks at first struggled with himself, but then freed Billie from the facility and smuggled her aboard the Benedict.

3. The Benedict mission

On April 5, 2192, Wilks departed with Stephens and the marines aboard the Benedict for the Xenomorph Homeworld. Soon after launch, Wilks revealed Billie's presence to the others. Stephens was furious, but Wilks used the captain's own incompetence enabling the stowaway to get aboard in

250 the first place as leverage to table the issue after the mission. During the voyage, Wilks noticed with dismay that Billie began a romantic relationship with one of the marines, Mitch Bueller. Aware of his real identity, Wilks tried to discourage the romance, but only succeeded in antagonizing Billie. After arriving in orbit of the Xenomorph Homeworld, the Benedict was hijacked by a Bionational intercept team led by Patrick Massey, a ruthless sociopath. While Massey's mercenaries traveled to a hive on the surface, taking the marines with them for use as bait, Wilks remained in Massey's custody aboard the Benedict. Some time later, Billie emerged from hiding, killed Massey and freed Wilks. Together, they took a dropship to the surface in order to save the marines and destroy the hive using the Benedict's nukes. During the flight, the marines were attacked by the Xenomorphs. When an Alien ripped Bueller in two, his android identity was gruesomely revealed to Billie via video feed. Wilks tried to explain the situation to Billie, but she rejected his explanation, despising him for the betrayal. On the surface, Wilks and Billie managed to pick up Bueller and a handful of other survivors, but before they were able to take off, the ship was pinned down by a horde of Xenomorphs. Unexpected help arrived with the arrival of a lone Mala'kak, who dispatched the creatures with ease. Shortly after, Wilks and Billie received Orona's transmission detailing the Xenomorph infestation on Earth. Wilks reacted with helpless anger to the fact that the Xenomorph had, once again, won. After detonating the hive, Wilks and the others left for Earth aboard the Benedict, with the Mala'kak ship in tow.

4. A new journey

After arriving in orbit of Earth, Wilks landed the Benedict at a military facility near Galveston, Texas, one of the last vestiges of humanity on the planet. At this point in time, the evacuation of the military was fully underway. Wilks tried to suggest a plan to save Earth by allying with the Mala'kak, only to learn with disgust that the military had no intention to fight for the planet and was only trying to save its own hide. The Benedict was confiscated, and Wilks and the others were left to die. Curiously, it was at this point of utter hopelessness that Wilks found his will to live. Together with Billie and Bueller, he boarded an automated cargo carrier named the American and left Earth for deep space.

5. Stowaways

During the wake time of the journey, Wilks preferably spent his time exercising and watching broadcasts from Earth detailing the fate of humanity. He also believed that Orona's bombs have successfully detonated, killing all Xenomorphs and rendering Earth a wasteland. However, his lethargy was interrupted when Billie told him that a Xenomorph-related nightmare had tipped her off to an Alien presence aboard the American and urged him to check up on it with her. While skeptical, Wilks agreed. Indeed, they discovered four hypersleep chambers containing humans with exploded chests. One of the Drones attacked the two, and a firefight ensued that caused the violent decompression of the compartment. This killed one of the Drones, but also posed a danger to Wilks and Billie. They barely escaped the vacuum, but Wilks had been severely injured and was forced to stay inside while Billie went outside on the outer hull to clear the ship of the remaining Aliens.

6. Spears' domain

The American eventually reached its pre-programmed destination: The Third Base installation, a USCM research facility on a remote planetoid. After landing, Wilks and Billie were apprehended and put into isolation. On the way to the brig, Wilks saw that Third Base still received broadcasts

251 from Earth, meaning that Orona's warheads had not exploded after all. When Spears researched Wilks' USCM file, he came to see the new arrivals as valuable resources and invited them to dinner, where he laid out his plan to used domesticated Xenomorphs to fight the scourge on Earth. Wilks immediately saw that the man was insane, but quietly urged Billie to play along as it would be suicide to openly fight against the General at this point. After the dinner, Wilks and Billie were given free run of the base. While Wilks was investigating the state of the American in the hangar bay, he was approached by Major Eugene Powell, Spears' second-in-command. Powell had been observing Spears' increasingly unhinged behavior with concern and was now asking Wilks to assist him in a coup. Wilks agreed and proceeded to destroy the long-range communications station and switch further coordination to the observation deck. With Powell's assistance, he identified and detained the soldiers loyal to Spears while mobilizing the marines opposing Spears. Wilks then manned an armed crawler outside the base, intending to shoot down Spears. However, Spears had become suspicious and sent an empty ship on ahead via remote while following in a stealth-capable vessel. Wilks took the bait and barely escaped inside the compound with Billie as Spears deactivated the stealth mode and unleashed a vicious barrage on the vehicles parked outside.

7. Back to Earth

Inside the base, the mutineers were fighting a losing battle against Spears' men. Wilks, Billie and Powell headed for the hangar bay to hijack a vessel, only to find them locked by Spears. After a confrontation with Spears and his soldiers, Wilks and Billie managed to enter the MacArthur just before takeoff. Now inbound to Earth aboard the vessel carrying Spears' Xenomorph army, Wilks eventually developed a plan to switch ships using EVA suits. After they had arrived on Spears' ship, the Jackson, a firefight with the General ensued which resulted in him withdrawing and locking Wilks and Billie inside the aft cargo bay. In the meantime, the two vessels had reached the Sol system. With no other option left, Wilks resorted to a bluff: Claiming that he had booby-trapped the Xenomorphs on the MacArthur, he traded the location of the bogus explosives for an escape pod and enough time to reach minimum safety distance. Spears agreed, and Wilks and Billie managed to reach Gateway Station and watch Spears' fate over satellite video. Wilks and Billie then met up with an android resembling Ripley to discuss a plan to defeat the Xenomorph scourge once and for all. (A:B2 - NA)

William: A male human and one of the prisoners involved in the Fury 16 incident. William was one of the inmates who tried to rape Ripley at the scrapyard of the facility. William was later killed during the attempt to lure the Alien into the blast furnace. (A3)

Williams, David: A male human and one of the USCM soldiers involved in the Sulaco incident in 2179. Nicknamed “BBQ” due to his skills as a cook. Williams was born in the mid-2140s and entered USCM service in January 2169. A passionate and skillful barbecue chef, Williams opted for MOS 3381 as his training course and received his first assignment as a Camp Cook afterward. However, he came into conflict with his superiors when he criticized the culinary shortcomings of the USCM, which eventually led to a transfer to 2nd battalion, 9th regiment at his own behest. While he also proved to be a good rifleman despite his absence from combat duties, his cooking abilities were finally recognized, both by his comrades and his superiors, even leading to an assignment as a cook for the Chiefs of Staff.

252 By the time of the Sulaco incident, Williams was ranked Lance Corporal. During a skirmish on the Sulaco, he was separated from his team, but later joined Fire Team Fox and continued the fight. (A:INF)

Williamson, Carlyn: A female human and a member of the team of scientists assigned to the cloning project aboard the Auriga in the late 24th century. After the creation of Ripley 8 and the extraction of the Queen embryo, Williamson was tasked with performing cognitive experiments with the clone. She later helplessly witnessed the Xenomorph outbreak and the abduction of Gediman by the Alien. Williamson was taken to the hive and died there, either by giving birth to a Xenomorph or during the explosion of the Auriga. (A:RES)

Wilson, N.: One of the Colonial Marines serving aboard the USS Sephora at the time of the Origin incident in 2179. Was ranked Private First Class at the time. Was assigned locker number 04.TS/04. (A:CMVG)

Winter, Christopher: A male human and a member of the USCM corps. Born in Pender, Nebraska, Earth on November 23, 2151. Was ranked Corporal by 2179 and played a key role during the Origin incident in the same year.

1. Early service in the USCM corps

Recruited from his hometown, Winter soon proved to be a capable and resilient soldier with considerable potential. He rose quickly through the ranks and was given the rank Corporal only two years after joining the corps. Prior to the Origin incident, Winter had participated in three military cam- paigns, of which two were launched from O'Niell Station and one from Gateway Station.

2. The beginning of the Origin incident

In late 2179, Winter was assigned to the 118th battalion aboard the USS Sephora. When the Sephora returned to the USS Sulaco in orbit of LV-426 on December 14, 2179 to investigate the ship a second time, Winter was among the last batch of marines woken from cryosleep. Ordered to render assistance to teams Rhino 2-1 and Rhino2-3, who had boarded the Sulaco earlier and were pinned down by an unknown enemy, Winter was also appointed to act as the personal liaison of Lieutenant Cruz, the commanding officer of this mission. Upon arrival on the Sulaco, Winter made contact with Private O'Neal and other survivors of Rhino 2-1 before moving on to explore the ship. In a hived section of life support, Winter found the cocooned remains of Rhino 2-3, with only one marine named Keyes still alive. After rescuing him, Winter and Keyes proceeded to complete the original mission of Rhino 2-3 and successfully retrieved the flight recorder of the Sulaco. After fending off a Xenomorph attack, Winter, Keyes and O'Neil entered the Umbilical in order to return the device to the Sephora. Midway, however, Keyes gave birth to a Xenomorph and detonated a grenade, destroying the Umbilical together with the flight recorder and leaving Winter and O'Neal stranded aboard the Sulaco.

3. Escaping from the Sulaco and arrival on LV-426

Ordered to secure a cargo bay as an alternative landing zone, Winter and O'Neal made their way to the destination by passing through the ship's gravity well section. After completing their mission and enabling Reid and Cruz to land inside the cargo bay, the group was suddenly attacked by Wey- land-Yutani PMCs. Simultaneously, the Sulaco opened fire on the Sephora, and Winter and O'Neal

253 were ordered to disable the weapon system on the ship's bridge. After picking up another survivor from Rhino 2-3, a female marine called Clarison, Winter and the others were able to stop the barrage on the Sephora, but came too late to save their ship from being destroyed. With the Sulaco having suffered critical damaged as well, the group made their way back to the cargo bay and barely escaped aboard the dropship to the surface of LV-426. Upon arriving in the ruined command center of Hadley's Hope, Winter established a perimeter by placing motion trackers throughout the compound and helped fending off an initial Xenomorph attack on the command post. Winter and O'Neal were ordered next to follow up on Clarison and Reid, who had debarked to establish a long-range signal for the survivors of the Sephora. While traversing the sewers, Winter got separated from O'Neal and was captured by the Raven, a monstrous Xenomorph specimen. Winter was brought to and cocooned inside a hived section deep inside the bowels of the underground, but managed to escape before impregnation and reestablish comm contact with O'Neal. Guided by his comrade, Winter traversed the Boiler-infested sewers and barely eluded the Raven stalking him. Eventually, Winter and O'Neil rejoined and reached the surface, where they caught up with Clarison and Reid. After saving Reid from being taken by the Xenomorphs, Winter and the others helped her to complete her initial mission. On their way back to the command center, the group fended off an attack by Xenomorphs inside a vehicle bay, but lost contact with O'Neil during the fight. When conflict arose about whether to rescue O'Neal or not, Winter spoke out in favor of rescuing his comrade and led the team during the mission. After finding O'Neal safe and sound on a nearby loading dock, Winter killed the attacking Raven, using a Powerloader to defeat the creature in close combat. After the fight, Winter observed the rising tensions between his teammates with growing concern.

4. Futile rescue and the Weyland-Yutani prisoner

Back in the command center, Winter and O'Neal requested permission to infiltrate the Weyland-Yu- tani research facility nearby in order to extract the Xenomorph embryo inside Clarison. Cruz agreed under the condition that they would retrieve a personnel manifest on their way. Departing on a Dai- hotai tractor found in the colony, Winter managed to drive the vehicle to the vicinity of the facility before the engines went out. Undetected by enemy forces, Winter and the others managed to infiltrate the research modules and extract the personnel manifest from a terminal. Winter, O'Neal and Clarison successfully reached the inner perimeter when Cruz informed the group of the presence of a captive marine in the compound and ordered them to rescue their comrade. Winter and O'Neal suffered a severe setback when Clarison was killed by the Chestburster erupting from her body shortly after they had learned that an extraction was impossible. Deciding to move on, Winter and O'Neal deactivated the security systems in order to gain access to the prison area, unleashing the Xenomorphs onto the facility in the process. Amidst the chaos, the two marines were able to make their way through the Derelict and reached the prisoner in time to rescue him, who turned out to be none other than Corporal Hicks.

5. Final assault on the Origin facility

Upset and exhausted by the events, Winter and O'Neal demanded answers from Cruz, who informed them of Hicks' importance in escaping from LV-426 and bringing down Weyland-Yutani. The conversation was interrupted when Cruz was informed of an impending Xenomorph attack on the marines back at Hadley's Hope. Winter and the other marines successfully repelled the attack and embarked on an all-out assault on the Weyland-Yutani research station in order to secure the last FTL-capable vessel on the ground. Winter spearheaded the operation together with Hicks, Cruz and O'Neal, traversing the Derelict a second time. The wreckage had been completely overrun by the Xenomorphs, and Winter felt a sudden remorse for willingly bringing down the creatures on the sci-

254 entists. In spite of this, Winter set his feelings aside and focused on completing the mission. By bringing down a series of anti-air gun emplacements, Winter enabled air support to bring down a cargo lifter carrying the Queen and rendered support to a down dropship crew. Overcoming an attack by the Queen, who had survived the crash, Winter was among the final push to the FTL ship, but had to watch helplessly as the vessel took off just when he reached the landing site together with his comrades. Winter and the others entered a dropship to pursue the vessel and, after a daring maneuver by the pilot Reid, crashed into the cargo bay of the frigate. Winter was briefly knocked unconscious, but got back on his feet to find Cruz stuck in the deformed cockpit. After reluctantly leaving the dropship, Winter joined his comrades to devise a plan to infiltrate the ship, but was cut short by the arrival of the Queen. Using a cargo catapult, Winter seemingly threw the creature from the ship, only to observe with shock as the creature clung to the floor and proceeded to attack Cruz and the dropship. Giving his final salute, Winter and the others watched as their commanding officer sacrificed himself by starting the dropship engines and propelling himself and the Queen out of the ship. Winter and his comrades proceeded to confront Michael Weyland in his private cabin. Killing Weyland revealed him to be an android; and hacking into his brain amassed enough information to bring down the Company. Afterward, Winter and the others presumably used the vessel to evacuate the surviving marines from LV-426 and set course back home. (A:CMVG)

WMCD: An abbreviation for Weyland Modular Computing Device.

World Trade Center: A complex of buildings in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since its opening in 1973, the complex was the site of several tragic events. On September 11, 2001, terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center. In 2124, another disaster destroyed the World Trade Center. The fact that many people died because there were no means to extract them prompted the development of the Jet Rescue technology to enable high-altitude evacuations. (A:B1 – O)

Wren, Mason: A male human and the scientific leader of the cloning project operated aboard the Auriga in 2381. With the help of his team of top-notch scientists, Wren succeeded in creating a clone of Ellen Ripley and cultivated a Xenomorph population from the Queen embryo inside Ripley 8. He continued to supervise the research up until the Xenomorph outbreak, when he was captured by the crew of the Betty and forced to assist them in their escape to the Betty. Wren later shot Call and left the group behind to make his way to the Betty alone. He was hindered in his escape by Call, who had survived and tapped into the ship's system to block off the scientist's route to the ship. Wren still managed to get to the ship in time to receive the surviving crew members of the Betty. He tried to coerce the group into stopping the Auriga's collision course with Earth by taking Call as a hostage, but was killed by Purvis, who pinned his head to his chest just in time for the Chestburster inside him to erupt through both of them. (A:RES)

*** X ***

Xenomorph: An immensely dangerous and highly infectious parasitic extraterrestrial lifeform. Sci- entifically classified as “linguafoeda Acheronsis”, which roughly translates to “foul tongue from Acheron”. The Xenomorph uses another living creature as its host, killing it in the process of “giving birth”. This characteristic results in another unique property of the organism called the DNA Re- flex, which describes the effect of altering the appearance and anatomy of the Xenomorph according to its host. The Xenomorph species exists as a hive-based society, similar to Earth's bees, with a Queen at the top of the hierarchy.

255 1. Description

The Xenomorph life-cycle consists of three stages, with the optional fourth stage of the Queen. In- side an egg laid by the Queen, a spider-like Facehugger is contained that, once freed, attaches itself to a suitable host and impregnates it with an embryo. Once this embryo has used the host's resources to nourish and to develop into the second stage, the snake-like Chestburster, it violently frees itself from its host body, killing it in the process. Now, the Chestburster develops into the third and last stage, the Drone. This vaguely humanoid-looking killing machine is considered a fully developed Xenomorph and the “face” of the Xenomorph species. Its sole purpose is to protect the hive and make it thrive. Its strength and remorselessness is only surpassed by the Queen, the largest type of Xenomorph. The organic features vary from type to type, but common to all of them is acidic blood and a lack of any sort of conventional visual sensory organs like eyes. While the Xenomorph's parasitic way of reproduction is asexual in nature, there are indeed different Xenomorph sexes. The Third Base research team had discovered the existence of male Drones which engage in fights for the right to fertilize the Queen. Once the fertilization is complete, the Queen kills her “lover”. However, this behavior represents only an optional aspect of Xenomorph reproduction as the fertilization is not necessary for the Queen to reproduce.

2. Threat assessment and behavior

The Xenomorph only exists to consume and reproduce. Once unleashed onto an inhabited world, it will assimilate all organic life until there is no other species alive on the planet. This process takes place at a frightening speed, able to annihilate a human settlement of around 150 people in a matter of weeks. However, its method of reproduction is matched in its viciousness by its aggressiveness, combining intelligence, physical strength and remorselessness to produce a veritable killing machine. Any resistance a Xenomorph may encounter is slaughtered gruesomely and efficiently. Cer- tain aspects of the Xenomorph organism remain a mystery, including metabolism and perception. While methods of communication are also the subject of much discussion, events during the prelude to the Earth War in the 2190s lend credence to the possibility of a telepathic bond between the Queen and its minions. Further research at the Third Base installation has also revealed that the Queen is able to see through the “eyes” of her Drones.

3. History

The origins of the Xenomorph are shrouded in mystery. However, an excavation led by Dr. Lucien Keitel in the Australian Great Desert has discovered evidence that Xenomorphs had once existed on Earth 1.6 billion years ago, at a time when life on Earth as we know it did not exist on the landmasses. This further proves the extreme resilience of the Xenomorph to hostile environments. Dr. Keitel later also discovered that another extraterrestrial race had existed called the Mala'kak, which had seemingly been wiped out 1.6 billion years ago by the Xenomorph after establishing a galaxy- wide rule for almost 2 billion years. While Xenomorph contact with humans date back to the Viking Age, the Nostromo incident in 2122 marks the first notable “first contact” situation with the lifeform. The catalyst for this incident was a Mala'kak vessel that was discovered by the crew of the Nostromo in 2122 on the planetoid LV-426 in the Zeta II Reticuli system. This vessel contained thousands of Xenomorph eggs, but for what reasons the eggs had been originally transported by the Mala'kak are unknown. There is a theory, however, which suggests that the Xenomorph race had been a biological weapon engineered by the Space Jockeys which got out of control and wiped out its creators. The Nostromo incident was also the first, failed attempt made by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation at harvesting the Xenomorph as a

256 bio-weapon. Another one would fail in 2179 during the Hadley's Hope incident, due to the efforts of a woman called Ellen Ripley, who was the last survivor of the Nostromo incident and whose fate would be inextricably linked to the Xenomorph. In 2192, a third attempt made by humanity would turn out to be fatal when a Xenomorph queen contained on Earth was freed and unleashed the organism on mankind's homeworld. The following infestation quickly consumed the entire planet and forced the human race to evacuate to the outer colonies. It was not until 2197 when mankind was able to reclaim Earth and begin cleaning it of the Xenomorphs. Numerous encounters between humans and Xenomorphs followed, a notable one being an expedition to a Xenomorph hiveworld sponsored by the Grant Corporation. During this time, humankind was forced to invest research in methods to combat Xenomorphs. By 2381, the Xenomorph organism had been seemingly wiped out, but was resurrected by the United States Military aboard the Auriga in a successful attempt to harvest the species from a clone of Ellen Ripley called Ripley 8. However, the hive was wiped out when the Auriga crashed on Earth. During the events involving Ripley 8 and the survivors of the Auriga incident, it was uncovered that humans had known of the Xenomorph's existence long before the Nostromo incident and were secretly collaborating with the Mala'kak race, which had in fact survived the genocide, but was unable to reproduce. Ironically, it turned out that the Xenomorph organism could hold the key to overcome this infertility, and so, the struggle between mankind and the Xenomorph continues until now.

Xenomorph Homeworld: A remote planet where the Xenomorph organism had become the dominant species and claimed large portions, if not the entirety of the landmass for itself. Home of the only known Queen Mother. Played a vital role during the Earth War crisis in the 2190s.

1. Description

The Xenomorph Homeworld was a hostile planet. The landmasses were dominated by rocky deserts with marginal vegetation, and the watermasses consisted of often very shallow oceans with high salt concentration. Despite the barren nature of the planet, the climate caused by the system's star was tropical, with temperatures approaching 40 degree Celsius, which allowed for only small icy regions at the poles. Thunderstorms rose to extreme proportions, reaching up to 20,000 meters and creating lightning bolts with excessively high voltages. Other factors only added to this inhospitable environment. Gravity was a quarter higher than on Earth, rendering movement on the surface manageable, but exhausting for humans. The composition of the atmosphere was dominated by a mixture of CO² and other harmful gases such as methane and ammonia, with a reduced percentage of oxygen. This mixture rendered extended visits to the surface without filter equipment lethal for human visitors. The planet's fauna was dominated by a massive Xenomorph population, led by the only known Queen Mother specimen. At least one huge, dome-shaped hive structure had been erected by the creatures on the surface by 2192. Despite the Xenomorph presence, at least one other species, consisting of large, airborne predatory reptiles, co-existed with them. Sentient life was non-existent, and there were no traces that such ever had existed on the world.

2. History

The history of the planet prior to human discovery is largely unknown, except for the fact that the Mala'kak race was aware of the planet, had visited it and probably collected Xenomorph specimens from it in the past. Humanity discovered the Xenomorph Homeworld in the early 2130s, when a Bionational freighter named Junket stumbled upon it. The ship landed on the surface and managed to depart again, but not before being infiltrated by the Xenomorph. The fact that the ship's crew had

257 been eradicated by the time it reached Earth, sending the derelict spacecraft drifting among the masses of debris surrounding the planet, caused the discovery of the Xenomorph Homeworld to become lost to mankind until the late 22nd century. In 2192, the Coast Guard rediscovered the Junket, which had gotten dangerously close to entering Earth's atmosphere by the time. The data banks were salvaged, providing the military with the coordinates of the Xenomorph Homeworld. A mission to the Xenomorph Homeworld was mounted aboard the Benedict, which reached the planet in late 2192. During the course of the mission, several nuclear warheads impacted on the planet, destroying hive structures and obliterating a significant portion of the planet's surface. Years later, another human expedition reached the planet and kidnapped the Queen Mother.

3. Questionable status as the Xenomorph Homeworld

Although there is no disputing the fact that this planet was home to the largest and most dominant Xenomorph population ever encountered by mankind, the designation as the homeworld of the creature is problematic. The term suggests that the Xenomorph species was created naturally by means of evolution. There is no evidence to support this hypothesis – in fact, there are indicators that suggest the contrary, namely that the Xenomorph is a bio-engineered organism. And even if the Xenomorph is a natural species, there is no reason to believe that the creature had its origin on this particular planet. The only evidence supporting this would be the existence of the Queen Mother, but there is also no reason to believe that the Queen Mother is a unique creature instead of “merely” the result of an excessively high Xenomorph population, rare as it may be. Therefore, the term “homeworld” is to be treated colloquially to designate a world dominated by the Xenomorph species. (A:B1 – O)

Xiwang Colony: A colony founded on Gliese 876 b in the year 2048 to exploit the planet's natural gases. Had a population of almost 10 million colonists by the year 2071. Key resources were methane, terbium, nitrogen and helium. (PR:WIW)

XM-99A Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle: A rifle-format plasma weapon manufactured by Armat. Still in a prototype stage by 2179, the XM-99A is a long range infantry rifle that fires bursts of plasma. With only four charges and a notable delay before firing, this weapon is useless in close combat, but it makes up this weakness with its accuracy over large distances, a strength which is supported by its pre-installed scope. (A:CMVG)

XR-500: A long-range cannon. The Hovertread was armed with a XR-500. (KAF)

*** Y ***

Yutani Corporation: An influential Japanese company existing since at least the 20th century. Named after its founding family. Yutani developed and produced a wide range of products, such as video analysis software and FTL drives. At the beginning of the 21st century, Yutani tried to gain a foothold in the rising android market, but suffered a severe setback when its rival, Weyland Indus- tries, won a lawsuit regarding the patent for their landmark David android model on December 12, 2029. This did not stop Yutani from corporate espionage, monitoring transmissions to the highest echelons of Weyland Industries, such as a call from Dr. Elizabeth Shaw to Sir Peter Weyland regarding Project Prometheus on April 4, 2079. Yutani eventually merged with Weyland Industries in the early 22nd century to form the Weyland- Yutani joint venture. Among other things, Yutani provided components for company vessels and

258 also equipped the Nostromo with a Yutani FTL drive. As Yutani reportedly had a vested interest in alien technology before the merging, it is possible that it was their influence that caused Weyland- Yutani to became interested in acquiring the Xenomorph organism for research. (PR:WIW)

Yutani Photo-Polygraph Technologies: A subdivision of the Yutani Corporation that developed the Quiet Eye video analysis software. (PR)

*** Z ***

Zendall, Gene: A male human. Living at the terraforming colony on Rim, he worked as an assistant for a man named Russ. Zendall accompanied the Russ fiamily on its expedition to the Mala'kak wreckage in the Valley of the Iron Fingers and explored the inside of the ship with Russ and his wife Sarah. Zendall was later killed during the Xenomorph outbreak that followed the ship's discovery. (A:B1 – O)

Zeta II Reticuli: A G1 V class star and part of the Zeta Reticuli binary star system. Approximately 36.7 light years away from Earth. Has eight planets, of which only two are in the zone for being potentially habitable worlds. However, even those only contain traces of atmosphere, rendering them incapable of sustaining life. The fourth planet is a Jovian super giant with a ring system. The second major moon of this stellar body is the planetoid LV-426, which was the stage for numerous confrontations between mankind and the Xenomorph, including the Nostromo incident and the Hadley's Hope incident. Another planet, LV-223, housed several weapon facilities of the Engineers and was the site of the LV-223 incident. (A1, A2, A:CMTM, A:INF)

Zeus Colony: A colony on HAT-P-13CM. Established in 2061. Boasted a population of over 5,5 million by 2071. Zeus Colony's industry was focused on mining, refining and energy, taking advantage of the planet's massive solar arrays and vast deposits of Methane gas. (PR:WIW)

Ziglar, J.: One of the Sephora marines involved in the Origin incident in late 2179. Was ranked Pri- vate First Class at the time. Was killed during the incident by Weyland-Yutani PMCs, whom Ziglar mistook for friendly forces. (A:CMVG)

259 4. Appendices

APPENDIX I – Abbreviation codex a) Comics & graphic novels

• A:ALC = Aliens: Alchemy

• A:ALI = Aliens: Alien

• A:APO = Aliens: Apocalypse – The Destroying Angels

• A:BER = Aliens: Berserker

• A:B1 – O = Aliens: Book 1 – Outbreak

• A:B2 – NA = Aliens: Book 2 – Nightmare Asylum

• A:B3 – FW = Aliens: Book 3 – Female War

• A:BL = Aliens: Border Lines

• A:CA = Aliens: Cargo

• A:CM = Aliens: Colonial Marines

• A:EA = Aliens: Earth Angel

• A:FTTH = Aliens: Fast Track To Heaven

• A:GEN = Aliens: Genocide

• A:GC = Aliens: Glass Corridor

• A:HAR = Aliens: Harvest

• A:HAV = Aliens: Havok

• A:HH = Aliens: Head Hunters

• A:INC = Aliens: Incubation

• A:KID = Aliens: Kidnapped

• A:LAB = Aliens: Labyrinth

• A:LOV = Aliens: Lovesick

• A:LUC = Aliens: Lucky

• A:MH = Aliens: Mondo Heat

• A:MOTS = Aliens: Music Of The Spears

• A:MP = Aliens: Mondo Pest

• A:MTH = Aliens: More Than Human

• A:NT = Aliens: Newt's Tale

• A:OIAL = Aliens: Once In A Lifetime

• A:PIG = Aliens: Pig

• A:PUR = Aliens: Purge

• A:ROG = Aliens: Rogue

• A:SAC = Aliens: Sacrifice

• A:SAL = Aliens: Salvation

• A:SP = Aliens Special

• A:STA = Aliens: Stalker

• A:STR = Aliens: Stronghold

• A:SUR = Aliens: Survival

260 • A:TAS = Aliens: Taste

• A:TRI = Aliens: Tribes

• A:TS = Aliens: Tourist Season

• A:WRA = Aliens: Wraith

• A:XEN = Aliens: Xenogenesis b) DVDs & Blu-Rays

• AA = Alien Anthology 6-Blu-ray Disk Set (2010)

• AL = Alien Legacy 5-DVD Set (2000)

• AQ = Alien Quadrilogy 9-DVD Set (2003) c) Movies

• A1 = Alien (1979)

• A2 = Aliens (1986)

• A3 = Alien³ (1991)

• A:RES = Alien: Resurrection (1997)

• PR = Prometheus (2012) d) Non-fiction books

• A:CMTM = Colonial Marines Technical Manual e) Novels

Dark Horse novels:

• A:CAU = Aliens: Cauldron

• A:CE = Aliens: Criminal Enterprise

• A:DW = Aliens: DNA War

• A:NE = Aliens: No Exit

• A:OS = Aliens: Original Sin

• A:SE = Aliens: Steel Egg

Titan Books trilogy:

• A:OOTS = Alien: Out Of The Shadows

• A:SOS = Alien: Sea Of Sorrows

• A: ROP = Alien: River Of Pain f) Video games

• A:CMVG = Aliens: Colonial Marines video game (PS3, XBox 360, PC)

• A:CMVG_SI = Aliens: Colonial Marines – Stasis Interrupted DLC (PS3, XBox 360,

261 PC)

• A:INF = Aliens: Infestation (Nintendo DS)

• A:ISO = Alien: Isolation (PS3, PS4, XBox 360, XBox One, PC)

• A:TE = Aliens: Thanatos Encounter (GameBoy Color) g) Various media

• KAF = Kenner Aliens action figures (1992 line)

• PR:IGN = Prometheus media: USCSS Prometheus diagram posted on IGN UK website.

• PR:MSN = Prometheus media: RT01 diagram posted on MSN website.

• PR:PM = Prometheus media: Medpod 720i diagram posted on Prometheus-Movie.com website

• PR:VER = Prometheus media: Prometheus Mission Connect minigame.

• PR:WIW = Prometheus media: WeylandIndustries.com

262 APPENDIX II – Reference lists a) Locations

Star systems, planets and colonies

• Apta (POL-3191 CC)

• Brother-of-Darkness

• C-3 L/M

• Claro (star system)

• Titus-Carmel 7

• Coren (POL-3191 BB)

• Detention Planet 27

• Gedda (Gliese 581 g.01)

• GJ 667Cc

• Gliese 581 (star system)

• Gliese 581 c

• Gliese 581 d

• Unity City

• Gliese 581 e

• Gliese 581 g

• Coronado Colony

• Gliese 581 g.01 (Gedda) => NOTE: Moon

• Gliese 667 cb

• Levon Colony

• Gliese 667 cc

• Morrison Outpost

• Gliese 667 cd

• Dante Colony

• Gliese 876 b

• Xiwang Colony

• Gliese 876 c

• Chiu Outpost

• Gliese 876 d

• Wan An Outpost

• HAT-P-13CM

• Zeus Colony

• HD 10697 bm

• Tagg Colony

• HD 39091 bm

• Olympia Colony

• HD 85512 b

• New Earth Colony

263 • HD 86264 bm

• Statler Colony

• HD 202206 bm

• Henri Gaston Colony

• Jacob-Tellis (POL-6362)

• JPG-973C

• Tark-Weyland Station

• Kareti (KOI-723.06)

• Kepler 22b

• Pozhalujsta Outpost

• KOI-87.01

• Vanderaart Outpost

• KOI-227.01

• Hualien Colony

• KOI-252.01

• September Outpost

• KOI-255.01

• Honshu Colony

• KOI-268.01

• June Outpost

• KOI-314.02

• Atlas City

• KOI-323.08 (Platte)

• KOI-438.02

• Horizon City

• KOI-448.02

• M'Toa Colony

• KOI-463.01

• Hera City

• KOI-494.01

• Angkor Colony

• KOI-571.02

• Corinth Colony

• KOI-610.01

• May Outpost

• KOI-663.02

• Lutetia Colony

• KOI-701.03

• December Outpost

• KOI-723.06 (Kareti)

• KOI-736.01

264 • Davos Colony

• KOI-784.01

• Dylan City

• KOI-812.02

• Craft City

• KOI-812.03

• Ruby Colony

• KOI-817.01

• Brahms Outpost

• KOI-854.01

• Luther Colony

• KOI-898.03

• February Outpost

• KOI-899.03

• Echo Outpost

• KOI-947.01

• Pelican Colony

• KOI-952.03

• Huan Ying Colony

• KOI-1361.01

• Blue Jay Colony

• KOI-1404.01

• Archimedes Colony

• KOI-1422.02

• Tzu-Chi City

• KOI-1430.03

• Ute Colony

• KOI-1686.01

• Nightingale Colony

• KOI-1739.01

• July Outpost

• KOI-1871.01

• Kahn Outpost

• KOI-1876.01

• Aires Colony

• KOI-1938.01

• Sanchez Outpost

• KOI-2020.01

• January Outpost

• KOI-2124.01

• Nomrom Colony

265 • KOI-2290.01

• Capelli Colony

• KOI-2311.01

• Hui Outpost

• KOI-2410

• Themis Outpost

• KOI-2418.01

• Curzic Outpost

• KOI-2469.01

• Izvinite Outpost

• KOI-2553.01

• K25 Colony

• KOI-2626.01

• Sevodnya Colony

• KOI-2650.01

• Gorham Colony

• KOI-2770.01

• Izvinite Outpost

• LX-469

• Neroid (sector)

• Fiorina 161

• Platte (KOI-323.08)

• POL-3191 BB (Coren)

• POL-3191 CC (Apta)

• POL-5362

• POL-6362 (Jacob-Tellis)

• Proserpina

• Requist

• Samhain

• Shambleau

• Solar System

• Earth

• Luna

• Luna Colony

• Sea of Tranquility Colony

• Europa

• Mars

• Leo Colony

• Valles Colony

• Soulages

• Tanaka 5

• Tsuronomai

266 • Zeta 2 Reticuli (star system)

• LV-223

• LV-426

• Hadley's Hope

Space stations

• Byzantium Station

• Domes

• Domes Gamma

• Domes Epsilon

• Gateway Station

• Huang Zho

• Sevastopol

Known sites of Mala'kak artifacts

• LV-223

• LV-223 incident

• LV-426 (Acheron)

• Mira Ceti 4

• Shambleau system (orbit of unnamed planet)

• Tirgu-Mires

Known sites of Xenomorph infestations

• Auriga

• Auriga incident

• Betty

• C-3 L/M

• C-3 L/M incident

• Domes Epsilon

• Earth

• First global infestation (3.200.000.000 BC)

• Second global infestation (2192 AD)

• Fiorina 161

• Fury 16 incident

• LV-426 (Acheron)

• Hadley's Hope incident

• Origin incident

• Nostromo

• Nostromo incident

• Soulages

267 • C-3 L/M incident

• Sulaco

• Thanatos

• Xenomorph Homeworld b) Lifeforms

Sentient species

• Human

• Mala'kak

• Collectors

• Engineers

Xenomorph life-cycle

• Egg

• Facehugger

• Chestburster

• Drone/Warrior

• Newborn (hybrid anomaly)

• Praetorian

• Queen

• Empress

Known Xenomorph subspecies and variants

• Arachnid Alien

• Boiler

• Bull Alien

• Crusher

• Dog Alien

• Empress

• Gorilla Alien

• Jock-Alien

• Killer Crab Alien

• King Alien

• Mantis Alien

• Night Cougar Alien

• Panther Alien

• Queen Mother

• Raven

• Royal Facehugger

• Runner

268 • Snake Alien

• Scorpion Alien

• Spitter

• Swarm Alien

• Swimmer

• Warrior

• Wild Boar Alien

Known creatures originating from the Black Goo chemical weapon

• Deacon

• Hammerpede

• Trilobite c) Characters

2093: Known crew members of the USCSS Prometheus during the LV-223 incident

• Barnes

• Chance

• David 8 (Prometheus crew member)

• Fifield

• Ford

• Holloway, Charlie

• Jackson

• Janek

• Millburn

• Ravel

• Shaw, Elisabeth

• Vickers, Meredith

• Wallace

• Weyland, Sir Peter

2122: Crew of the USS Nostromo at the time of the Nostromo incident

• Ash

• Brett

• Dallas

• Kane

• Lambert

• Parker

• Ripley, Ellen

269 217?: Known USCM soldiers involved in the Thanatos incident

• Corporal

• Brooke

• Private

• Chayton

• Shiro

• Vanora

• Cadet

• Jorell

2179: Assorted known members of the United States Colonial Marines by 2179

• General

• Poitier, Sam

• Brigadier Generals

• Jayes, Teresa

• Norrbom, Mike

• Colonels

• Cary, Sabrina

• Kerwin, Joe

• Susman, Barton H.

• Majors

• Conway, Kathleen

• Gerrity, Harrison

• Smolek, Larry

• Captains

• Betts, William

• Henry, Scott

• Lay Jr., Hayward J.

• LeBue, Pat

• Marquis, Karen

• Mathis, Amanda

• Riegert, Patrice

• Samona, Amanda Mae nd • 2 Lieutenants

• Cooper, Valerie

• Lieutenants

• Foerster, Drew

• Pang Ho San

• Rosentahl, Zade

• Tabot, Joanna

• Warrant Officers

270 • Bovankovich

• Gillot, Nick

• Yansey, Marcia

• Gunnery Sergeants

• Casella, Brenda

• Huffey, Ron

• Staff Sergeants

• Arter, Billy

• Miskolczy, Robin

• Sergeants

• Lance, Dom

• Wirth, Edward

• Corporals

• Blomberg, Tom

• Gerhardt, Lynda

• Hirsch, Lalla

• McLoughlin, Spad

• Nol, Benjamin

• Pruden, Rob

• Rakunas, Adam

• Spindler, Teri

• Lance Corporals

• Alcala, Guy

• Beher Jr., Bob

• Franson, Leeanne

• Kasulka, Jim

• Webster, Bonnie

• Wortmann, Troy

• Privates First Class

• Boone, Doug

• Fettelberg, Leigh

• Fisher, Mike

• Hanna, Matt

• Harris, Harry

• Kane, Emmet

• Kerne, Steve

• Meehan, Jim

• Torne, Jonjo

• Tulae, Alex

• Privates

• Strasswimmer, Ross

271 2179: Known members of the United States Colonial Marines involved in the Hadley's Hope incident

• Lieutenant

• Gorman, William

• Gunnery Sergeant

• Apone, Al

• Corporal

• Dietrich, Cynthia

• Ferro, Collette

• Hicks, Dwayne

• Private First Class

• Hudson, William

• Spunkmeyer, Daniel

• Vasquez, Jeanette

• Private

• Crowe, Tim

• Drake, Mark

• Frost, Ricco

• Wierzbowski, Trevor

2179: Known individuals involved in the Legato incident

• Andrews

• Ethan

• Hutchins, Lisbeth

• Hicks, Dwayne

• Stone, Samwell

• Turk

2179: Known USCM members involved in the Sulaco incident

• Lieutenant Colonel

• Steele, Patrick

• Chief Warrant Officer

• Marcus, Friedric

• Staff Sergeant

• Watson, Jasper

• Sergeant

• Hennick, Jay

• Corporal

• Cameron, John

• Heston, Frank

272 • Palms, Jeffrey

•

• Lance Corporal

• Coleman, Michael

• Johnston, Samantha

• Losso, John

• Thompson, Hank

• Williams, David

• Private First Class

• Chau, Mei-Lin

• Fischer, Amber

• Kennedy, Zoe Anna

• Kim, James

• Paulson, Brock

• Singh, Deepak

• Sinise, Angel

•

• Private

• Whistler, Buddy

2179: Fiorina 161 correctional facility staff at the time of the Fury 161 incident

• Aaron

• Andrews

• Arthur

• Boggs

• Clemens

• David

• Dillon

• Eric

• Frank

• Golic

• Gregor

• Junior

• Jude

• Kevin

• Morse

• Murphy

• Rains

• Troy

• Vincent

• William

273 2179: Known members of the United States Colonial Marines involved in the Origin incident

• Colonel

• Antal, J.

• Lieutenant- Corporal

• Sanders, J.

• Lieutenant

• Chaveler, A.

• Cruz, Jeremy

• Reid

• Norton, B.

• Papp, L.

• Watkins, P.

• Sergeant

• Forcher, Z.

• Handy, A.

• Siwiak, R.

• Corporal

• Ashley, T.

• Bailey, M.

• Baroski, S.

• Bradley, C.

• Nelson, C.

• Winter, Christopher

• Private First Class

• Barrington, K.

• Brawley, J.

• Brown, J.

• Capes, D.

• Castro, R.

• Chadwick, S.

• Cheng, J.

• Clarison, Bella

• Davis, A.

• Greenlief, E.

• Jelley, M.

• Ma, J.

• Macaulay, M.

• Montgomery, A.

• Moore, M.

• Mooses, A.

• Morales K.

274 • O'Neal, Peter

• Rechner, D.

• Smith, R.

• Trubetskoy, S.

• Washenfelder, J.

• Wilson, N.

• Washenfelder, J.

• Ziglar, J.

• Rank unknown:

• Alfeche, J.

• Clarke, Lauren

• Daggs

• Duplis, A.

• Duplis, C.

• Garnett

• Hernandez

• Hohenkerk

• Keyes

• Klassen

• Kobus

• Maio

• Matzke

• O'Reilly

• Paluski

• Roberts

• Romerio

• Ruiz

• Short

• Tanaka

• Tolentino

• Walkner, Andreas

• Wells

2192: Members of the combat android squad participating in the Benedict mission

• Blake

• Bueller, Mitch

• Easley, T.S.

• Chin

• Jones

• Mbutu

• Ramirez

275 • Smith

2193: Third Base staff involved in the Spears incident

• General

• Spears, Thomas A.W.

• Major

• Powell, Eugene

• Lieutenant

• Bainbridge

• Corporal

• Peterson, Sean J.

• Private First Classe

• Magruder, Jason S.

• Patin, Robert T.

• Renus, Wolfgang R.

• Rank unknown/civilian staff

• Annie

• Atkins

• Ceman

• Dowling

• Gizhamme

• Kohm

• Maxwell

2232: Individuals involved in the C-3 L/M incident

• Braley, Charles

• Darby, Matthew

• Duncan

• Gavin

• Heyward, Bjorn

• Heyward, Jolena

• Kelly

• Kramm, Anders

• Marshall, Tobin A.

• Stauff, Frances

2381: Crew members of the Betty at the time of the Auriga incident

• Call, Annalee

• Christie

• Elgyn, Frank

276 • Hillard, Sabra

• Johner

• Vriess

2381: Members of the USM Auriga research division at the time of the Auriga incident

• Clauss, Brian

• Fontaine, Trish

• Gediman, Jonathan

• Kinloch, Matt

• Sprague, Dan

• Watanabe, Yoshi

• Williams, Carlyn

• Wren, Mason

2380s: Staff of Domes Epsilon at the time of the Domes Epsilon incident

• Benedict, Tristan

• Cody, Earl

• Gogolac

• Hendricks

• Pandor, Elijah

• Philipakos, Angela

• Philipakos, Philip

• Seigo

• Shepherd, Adrian d) Starships & Vehicles

Ground vehicles

• ATV NR6

• Combat Exosuit

• Daihotai Tractor

• M22 Jackson Tank

• M292 Self-Propelled Gun System

• M34A2 Longstreet

• M40 Ridgeway Tank

• M570 All-Terrain Transport

• M577 Armored Personnel Carrier

• M577A

• M577A2

• M577A3

277 • Powerloader

• Caterpillar P-5000 Powerloader

• RT01 Group Transport

• Wal-Mart Runabout

Spacecraft

• AD-17A Cougar strikeship

• AD-19C/D Bearcat strikeship

• American

• Auriga

• Benedict

• Betty

• Bodenwerke-Gemeinschaft Type 337 Emergency Escape Vessel

• Bougainville-class troop transport

• Conestoga-class space transport

• Patna

• Sephora

• Sulaco

• CS-14 Briareos heavy lift shuttle

• Grant

• Heliades-class space exploration vessel

• Jackson

• Legato

• Lockmart CM-88B Bison

• Nostromo (modified version)

• Lockmart Starcub light intrasystem shuttle

• Narcissus

• MacArthur

• Ought-Two-class freighter

• Hume

• Stinger-class cruiser

• Climacus

• Thanatos

• UD-22 Navaho gunship

• UD-4 Cheyenne-class utility dropship

• UD-4B

• UD-4C

• UD-4E

• UD-4H

• UD-4J

• UD-4L

• Prometheus-class space exploration vessel

278 • Prometheus

• Dutton

• Junket

• K-014

• T-2 Troop Ship

• Valley Forge-class starship

• Weyland-Yutani Research Frigate e) Weapons & Equipment

Weapons

• Infantry

• 88 Mod4 Combat Pistol

• M-69 Machine Gun

• M240 Flamethrower

• M37A2 Pump Shotgun

• M39 Sub-machine Gun

• M41A Pulse Rifle

• M38 High Explosive Armor Piercing round

• M40 High Explosive fragmentation round

• M51A Bounding Fragmentation round

• M108 Canister (Buckshot) round

• M230 Baton round

• M60 White Phosphorous Incendiary round

• M72A1 Starshell

• M41A Pulse Rifle Mk2

• M4A3 Service Pistol

• M41-E Carbine

• M4RA Battle Rifle

• M56 Smart Gun

• M56A2 Smart Gun

• MK221 Tactical Shotgun

• NSG 23 Assault Rifle

• VP70 Pistol

• Weyland Storm Rifle

• XM-99A Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle

• Portable Weapon Systems

• UA 571 Remote Sentry

• UA 571-C

• UA 571-D

• UA 571-F

• UA 575 Remote Sentry

279 • Dropship Ordnance

• AGM-204A TSAM

• AGM-220C Hellhound II

• AIM-90E Headlock

• Mk. 10 Zeus

• Mk. 16 150mm Banshee 70

• M18

• M451

• M597

• M598

• M617

• M618

• M680

• Mk. 88 SGW f) Corporations & Organizations

Corporations

• Bionational

• Biotech

• Mechtech

• Omnitech

• Planetus

• Weyland Industries

• Weyland-Yutani

• Yutani Corporation

◦ Yutani Photo-Polygraph Technologies

Organizations

• FDA

• Loki

• NSF

• Telecommunications and Standardization Governing Body

• TIA

280 APPENDIX III – Scale charts a) Starships

281 b) Xenomorph species encountered by Ellen Ripley

c) Creatures encountered during the LV-223 incident

d) Xenomorph subspecies encountered during the Origin incident

282 5. Acknowledgments

...to Frans Hattingh, member of the Prometheus-Movie.com community and proofreader extraordi- naire since version 2 of the Encyclopedia. I am ashamed to admit that there was a plethora of pretty ugly grammar and spelling mistakes present in this book. Fortunately, Frans fixed things with astonishing diligence and patience. Thanks to him, your eyes aren't bleeding anymore while reading the Alien Encyclopedia. Actually, it looks better than ever as he also gave my first cover design a major overhaul! I am both proud and grateful for his help.

...to Scott Middlebrook, who wrote the Alien Universe Timeline found at http://timeline.alienexperience.com. Scott did invaluable pioneer work at dating events in the Alien universe, and I incorporated much of it in this book. See the respective entry comments for details. He also was kind enough to provide very useful advice and proofreading for version 1 of this encyclopedia.

...to Michael Lynch, the author of the famous Anchorpoint Essays website (check it out at www.anchorpointessays.com). In case, you don't know: Michael Lynch wrote a stunningly authentic and ac- curate compilation of texts regarding the Xenomorph physiology which can hold up to scientific standards easily. The entries regarding the Xenomorph in this encyclopedia are nowhere near as extensive as the Anchorpoint Essays, but I used them to verify many things. By the way, I included a little Easter egg in this encyclopedia. Congratulations, Mr. Lynch, you made it into the Alien universe!

...to Nathan P. Butler, author of the famous Star Wars Timeline Gold (to be found at www.starwars- fanworks.com/timeline). First, his vast work and diligence is a great inspiration for anyone who takes on a similar project (like me). Second, he also kindly allowed me to use his legal disclaimer as a template for my own. And third, his Timeline document inspired my to get a nifty cover art myself.

...to Michael Seigler, who kindly provided invaluable scans from the packaging of the Kenner toys. Also, thank you for the great talks on the Facebook page of the Alien Encyclopedia!

...to Rado Javor, who kindly gave me his blessing to use his stunning fan art piece “Prometheus Chamber” as cover artwork for the Encyclopedia from version 1 to version 6. Check out his great work at: http://radojavor.deviantart.com/

...to all the kind artists who gave their permission to use the silhouettes of their gorgeous artwork for the scale charts. Without them, this section would probably not exist. These people are:

• Mike Brown (http://bagera3005.deviantart.com/): USS Sulaco, UD-4L dropship

• Samantha (http://glaiceana.deviantart.com/): Warrior Xenomorph

• Space Jockey (http://www.hydride-ion.com/): Narcissus, Nostromo (Yes, the same Space Jockey who has made the awesome blueprints of Alien ships like the Sulaco and the Nos- tromo, of which the latter is featured in the great “Alien Vault” book)

To see exactly who has contributed what to which scale chart, please consult the commentary field next to the title of the respective chart. There, you'll also find direct links to the individual art pieces.

283 … to a number of gamers on YouTube whose Aliens-related Let's Plays were a vital resource while covering the games' contents for the Alien Encyclopedia. These people are:

• VolitileGabe (https://www.youtube.com/user/VolitileGabe): Aliens: Colonial Marines

• lightsamus88 (http://www.youtube.com/user/lightsamus88): Aliens: Colonial Marines – Sta- sis Interrupted DLC

• Inwspin (http://www.youtube.com/user/Inwspin): Aliens: Infestation

• draketheduelist (http://www.youtube.com/user/draketheduelist): Aliens: Thanatos Encounter

...to Gildor, who is the creator of the UE Viewer program, which I used to make shots of the Aliens Colonial Marines Xenomorphs for the Origin incident scale chart. Visit his website here: http://www.gildor.org/

...and, of course, to all the makers of the movies, novels, comics, books and video games. There is no fictional universe completely without flaws or contradictions, but they all managed to create, form and enrich this fascinating and complex world full of horror, suspense, the worst and the best of humanity and sometimes, only sometimes, even hope for a better future.

284 6. Resources a) Movies

Alien. Dir. Ridley Scott. 20th Century Fox, 1979.

Aliens. Dir. James Cameron. 20th Century Fox, 1986.

Alien³. Dir. David Fincher. 20th Century Fox, 1992.

Alien Resurrection. Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet. 20th Century Fox, 1997.

Alien vs. Predator. Dir. Paul W.S. Anderson. 20th Century Fox, 2004.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. Dir. Colin & Greg Strause. 20th Century Fox, 2007.

Prometheus. Dir. Ridley Scott. 20th Century Fox, 2012. b) Books

Brimmicombe-Wood, Lee & Hughes, David. Aliens Colonial Marines Technical Manual. Harper Collins, 1996

Evenson, B. K.. Aliens: No Exit. Dark Horse Press, 2008.

Friedman, Michael Jan. Aliens: Original Sin. Dark Horse Press, 2005.

Warner, Chris (Ed.). Aliens Omnibus Vol. 1. Dark Horse, 2007.

Warner, Chris (Ed.). Aliens Omnibus Vol. 2. Dark Horse, 2007.

Warner, Chris (Ed.). Aliens Omnibus Vol. 3. Dark Horse, 2008.

Warner, Chris (Ed.). Aliens Omnibus Vol. 4. Dark Horse, 2008.

Warner, Chris (Ed.). Aliens Omnibus Vol. 5. Dark Horse, 2008.

Warner, Chris (Ed.). Aliens Omnibus Vol. 6. Dark Horse, 2008. c) Video games

Aliens: Colonial Marines. Developed by Gearbox, TimeGate, Demiurge and Nerve Software. Published by SEGA, 2013.

Aliens: Infestation. Developed by Wayforward. Published by SEGA, 2011.

Alien: Isolation. Developed by Creative Assembly. Published by SEGA, 2014.

285 Aliens: Thanatos Encounter. Developed by Wicked Witch Software and Crawfish Interactive. Published by THQ, 2001. d) Websites

Bickmore, Alex. “Alex Bickmore's SUPER TOY ARCHIVE.” http://www.toyarchive.com/

IGN UK. “Introducing the USCSS Prometheus.” http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/122/1222790p1.html

Lynch, Michael. “The Anchorpoint Essays.” http://www.anchorpointessays.com Lindelof, Damon “Peter Weyland at TED2023: I will change the world.” http://blog.ted.com/TED2023

Middlebrook, Scott. “The Alien Universe Timeline.” http:// timeline.alienexperience.com

MSN. “Introducing the RT01 Transport.” http://social.entertainment.msn.com/movies/blogs/the- hitlist-blogpost.aspx?post=b0b010a6-4404-44f1-b724-22342ed9322e

Prometheus-Movie.com. “Introducing the Medpod 720i.” http://www.prometheus- movie.com/news/155

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. “Project Prometheus” http://www.projectprometheus.com

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. “Weyland Industries.” http://www.weylandindustries.com

Verizon. “Prometheus Mission Connect.” http://www.verizonsweeps2.com/?CMP=DMC- CVZ_ZZ_ZZ_E_DO_N_X042

286 7. History version 1 (release date: 12/28/2011):

• First release.

• Contains basic document structure.

• Encyclopedia features basic coverage of the movies and general entries.

• NOTE: Reference list may list entries not yet present.

• NOTE: Resources does not yet feature all media noted in the abbreviation codex, but all media used for the content of this release. version 2 (release date: 03/08/2012)

• New entries added:

• Armat

• Benjamin, Matthew

• Braley, Charles

• Biotech

• Bougainville-class space transport

• Bultmann

• C-3 L/M

• C-3 L/M incident

• Caterpillar P-5000 Powerloader

• Claro

• Climacus

• Company, The

• Conestoga-class space transport

• Crocker, Sven

• Daihotai tractor

• Darby, Matthew

• Duncan

• Egg Harvester

• Gavin

• Ghahwagi, Karim

• Heyward, Bjorn

• Heyward, Jolena

• Hora, Thomas

• Hume

• Judge, William

• Kelly

• Kramm, Anders

• LaFargue

287 • LaFargue (C/3 L-M spy)

• M240 Flamethrower

• M41A Pulse Rifle

• M4A3 Pistol

• M56 Smart Gun

• M570

• M577 Armored Personnel Carrier

• M577A

• M577A2

• M577A3

• M579

• Marshall, Tobin A.

• Mechtech

• Michaels, Stewart

• Omnitech

• Ought-Two-class freighter

• Planetus

• Roth, Gershom

• Royal Facehugger

• Seiko

• Sleeper

• Soulages

• Standish, Victor

• Stauff, Frances

• Stinger-class cruiser

• Super Facehugger

• Titus-Carmel 7

• Toros field

• UA 571 remote sentry weapons system

• UA 571-C

• UA 571-D

• UA 571-F

• UD-4 Cheyenne-class dropship

• UD-4B

• UD-4C

• UD-4E

• UD-4H

• UD-4J

• UD-4L

• Entries changed:

• Queen Facehugger

• Xenomorph

288 • Fixed errors in the alphabetical order of entries.

• NOTE: Reference list may list entries not yet present.

• NOTE: Resources does not yet feature all media noted in the abbreviation codex, but all media used for the content of this release. version 3 (release date: 08/23/2012):

• New entries added:

• 2167

• 130748

• 8,128,899

• 9,158,239

• 10,445,075

• 11,280,599

• 12,004,556

• 13,345,075

• 14,524,002

• 15,725,924

• 15,999,127

• 16,572,092

• 17,900,353

• 18,364,003

• Alienator

• Angie

• Arachnid Alien

• Arethan Crater Pox

• Asian Conflict

• ATAX

• ATV NR6

• Auto-Adjust Crosshair

• BEA Systems

• Benedict, Tristan

• Boeing

• Bolero

• Broca Dialectical Implant

• Brother-of-Darkness

• Bull Alien

• Byzantium Station

• CERN

• Cody, Earl

• Corcoran

• Cryosleep Tube

• David (android series)

289 • David 1

• David 2

• David 3

• David 4

• David 5

• David 6

• David 7

• David 8

• David 8 (Prometheus crew member)

• Detention Planet 27

• Domes

• Domes Epsilon

• Domes Epsilon incident

• Encephalopod

• Erica

• Evac Fighter

• Explorers Academy

• FDA

• Fifield

• Flatnose

• Fortune 500

• FTL

• Genentech

• GJ 667Cc

• Gliese 581

• Gliese 581 c

• Gliese 581 e

• Gogolac

• HD 85512 b

• Heliades

• Hendricks

• HES

• Holloway

• Holographic Environment Simulator

• Hovertread

• Hypersleep Chamber

• Immigration

• Janek

• JIMO

• Kali

• Kepler Mission

• Krakke

290 • Lifeboat

• Little Explorers

• Lockheed Martin

• Lockheed Martin Special

• Loki

• Luna

• LX-469

• MedPod

• Medpod 720i

• Millburn

• NAFE

• Night Cougar Alien

• Northrop Grumman

• NSF

• Olympics

• Pandor, Elijah

• Panther Alien

• Philipakos, Angela

• Portable Decontamination Pack

• Post, Richard

• Pox Face

• Project Prometheus

• Prometheus

• Proserpina

• Rama

• Requist

• RT01 Group Transport

• Samhain

• SEV

• Shaw, Elisabeth

• Simoni

• Sinjaba plant

• Sir Peter Weyland Memorial Library

• Snake Alien

• Special Order 937

• Spectagraph

• Stasis

• Stinger XT-37

• Synapse Reestablisher

• Tanaka 5

• TED

• Tsuronomai

291 • Umbulu

• Vickers, Meredith

• Wal-Mart 2000

• Wal-Mart Runabout

• Weyland, Sir Peter

• Weyland Industries

• Weyland Storm Rifle

• XR-500

• Changed entries:

• Atmosphere Processor

• Bishop

• Call, Annalee

• Johner

• LV-426

• Powerloader

• Ripley 8

• Vriess

• Weyland, Charles Bishop

• Yutani Corporation (formerly Yutani)

• Xenomorph

• Added “Corporations & Organizations” section to the reference lists

• Added “Prometheus crew” list to the “Characters” section in the reference list

• Rearranged reference lists in the “Characters” section in the reference lists in chronological order

• NOTE: Reference list may list entries not yet present.

• NOTE: Resources does not yet feature all media noted in the abbreviation codex, but all media used for the content of this release.

• Added Prometheus movie and various Prometheus media to “Resources” section.

• Added cover.

• Revised and expanded index of contents to integrate bookmarks for easier PDF navigation. version 4 (dubbed “Prometheus Update”, release date: 03/16/2013):

• New entries added:

• 4-M-79

• 64133

• 2092057

• Agility Assessment

• Aires Colony

• Ampule

• Angkor Colony

• Anti-Gravity Recovery Chamber

292 • Apta

• Archimedes Colony

• Atlas City

• Atmospheric Pressurizer

• Barnes

• Bio-Replicator Pod

• Bishop, Andrea

• Black Goo

• Blue Jay Colony

• Brahms Outpost

• Capelli Colony

• Chance

• Chemical_A0-3959X.91 – 15_

• Chiu Outpost

• Colonial Marines

• Coren

• Corinth Colony

• Coronado Colony

• Craft, Jeremy

• Craft City

• Curzic Outpost

• Dante Colony

• Davos Colony

• Deacon

• December Outpost

• Dylan City

• Echo Outpost

• Engineer

• ES / # 04082079

• Europa

• February Outpost

• Ford

• G-Force Assessment

• Gedda

• Gliese 581 d

• Gliese 581 g

• Gliese 667 cb

• Gliese 667 cc

• Gliese 667 cd

• Gliese 876 b

• Gliese 876 c

• Gliese 876 d

293 • Gorham Colony

• Hammerpede

• HAT-P-13CM

• HD 10697 bm

• HD 39091 bm

• HD 86264 bm

• HD 202206 bm

• Henri Gaston Colony

• Hera City

• HoloTab

• Honshu Colony

• Horizon City

• Hualien Colony

• Huan Ying Colony

• Huang Zho

• Hui Outpost

• IM 80

• Internet Explorer

• Izvinite Outpost

• Jackson

• Jacob-Tellis

• January Outpost

• JPG-973C

• Juggernaut

• July Outpost

• June Outpost

• K25 Colony

• Kahn Outpost

• Kareti

• Kepler 22b

• KOI-87.01

• KOI-227.01

• KOI-252.01

• KOI-255.01

• KOI-268.01

• KOI-314.02

• KOI-323.08

• KOI-438.02

• KOI-448.02

• KOI-463.01

• KOI-494.01

• KOI-571.02

294 • KOI-610.01

• KOI-663.02

• KOI-701.03

• KOI-723.06

• KOI-736.01

• KOI-784.01

• KOI-812.03

• KOI-817.01

• KOI-854.01

• KOI-898.03

• KOI-899.03

• KOI-947.01

• KOI-952.03

• KOI-1361.01

• KOI-1404.01

• KOI-1422.02

• KOI-1430.03

• KOI-1686.01

• KOI-1739.01

• KOI-1871.01

• KOI-1876.01

• KOI-1938.01

• KOI-2020.01

• KOI-2124.01

• KOI-2290.01

• KOI-2311.01

• KOI-2410

• KOI-2418.01

• KOI-2469.01

• KOI-2553.01

• KOI-2626.01

• KOI-2650.01

• KOI-2770.01

• Leo Colony

• Levon Colony

• Luna Colony

• Lutetia Colony

• Luther Colony

• LV-223

• LV-223 incident

• M'Toa Colony

• Mars

295 • May Outpost

• McManna, Corin

• MEDiCS

• Meredith Dragic Memorial Cybernetics

• Meridian, Sheila

• Module 8.0

• Module 8.1

• Module 8.2

• Module 8.3

• Module 8.4

• Morrison, Susan

• Morrison Outpost

• MOTHER

• MU-TH-UR

• Neroid

• Network

• New Earth Colony

• New Products Testbed

• Nightingale, Theodore

• Nightingale Colony

• Nomrom Colony

• October Outpost

• Olympia Colony

• Pauling

• Pelican Colony

• Platte

• POL-3191 BB

• POL-3191 CC

• POL-5362

• POL-6362

• Pozhalujsta Outpost

• Project Prometheus Training Center

• Prometheus-class space exploration vessel

• Prospective Colony Permit Office

• Quiet Eye

• Ravel

• RLF

• Rossi, Jamie

• Ruby Colony

• Rule 1492

• Sanchez, Eldridge

• Sanchez Outpost

296 • Sea of Tranquility Colony

• September Outpost

• Sevodnya Colony

• Situational Intelligence

• Solar System

• Solstice

• Spatial Relations

• Statler Colony

• Stuart-Rose, Kathryn

• T.I.P.E.

• Tagg Colony

• Tark-Weyland Station

• Telecommunications and Standardization Governing Body

• Themis Outpost

• Trilobite

• Tzu-Chi City

• Unity City

• USCM

• Ute Colony

• Valles Colony

• Vanderaart Outpost

• Wallace

• Wan An Outpost

• WCCF-73

• Weyland Advanced Space Exploration Suit

• Weyland Cybernetics Logic Design and Research Facility

• Weyland-Harte Research Center

• Weyland Health

• Weyland Modular Computing Device

• Weyland RLF Reactor

• Weyland Toughened Ceramic Turbine

• Weyland-Yutani

• Weyland Zero-Loss Lithium-Ion Battery

• Wi-Fi Access Movement of 2029

• WMCD

• Xiwang Colony

• Yutani Photo-Polygraph Technologies

• Zeus Colony

• Changed entries:

• Atmosphere Processor

• ATV NR6

• Caterpillar P-5000 Powerloader

297 • David 7

• David 8

• David 8 (Prometheus crew member)

• Fifield

• Gliese 581

• HD 85512 b

• Heliades-class space exploration vessel (changed from Heliades)

• Holloway, Charlie

• Holographic Environment Simulator

• Janek

• Lifeboat

• Luna

• MedPod 720i

• Millburn

• Powerloader

• Project Prometheus

• Prometheus-class space exploration vessel

• Prometheus

• RT01 Group Transport

• Shaw, Elizabeth M. (changed from Shaw, Elizabeth)

• Spectagraph

• Synapse Reestablisher

• TED

• Vickers, Meredith

• Weyland Industries

• Weyland Storm Rifle

• Weyland, Sir Peter

• Yutani Corporation

• Zeta 2 Reticuli

• Renamed the “Xenomorph lifeforms” section of Appendix II into “Creatures” and incorporated the Prometheus creatures in that list.

• Added a list for star systems, planets and colonies and a list for space stations to the “Locations” section of Appendix II

• Added, changed and removed various entries throughout the lists of Appendix II. Removal mostly affected entries from AvP lore and some entries that aren't yet covered in the Encyclopedia.

• NOTE: Reference list may list entries not yet present.

• NOTE: Resources does not yet feature all media noted in the abbreviation codex, but all media used for the content of this release.

• Added a third Appendix that contains several scale charts related to the Alien universe.

• Rewrote the last paragraph of the preface to keep it up-to-date.

• Minor changes to the “How to use this book” section for clarification and to address the early drafts for Prometheus now available.

298 • Updated the cover. version 5 (dubbed “Colonial Marines Update”, release date: 11/16/2013):

• New entries:

• 88 Mod4 Combat Pistol

• A19 High Velocity Rounds

• A27 High Velocity Rounds

• Aeruginosus

• Alfeche, J.

• Antal, J.

• Armat A4 Stabilizing Stock

• Armat A7 Sound Suppressor

• Armat A9 Sound Suppressor

• Armat A14 Barrel Extension

• Armat B3 Barrel Choke Tube

• Armat B15 Timed Explosive

• Armat C8 Custom Loading Port

• Armat High Capacity Magazine

• Armat Laser Targeting System

• Armat Magazine Accelerator

• Armat M37A2 Stock Iron Sight

• Armat M39 Stock Iron Sight

• Armat M41A Stock Iron Sight

• Armat M4A3 Stock Iron Sight

• Armat M5 Extended Magazine

• Armat Prox-Mine Launcher

• Armat R1 Flechette Rounds

• Armat S4 2x Telescopic Sight

• Armat S6 Reflex Sight

• Armat S7 Alloy Iron Sights

• Armat S11 Expanding Shot

• Armat S11 Variable Zoom Sight

• Armat Smart Targeting Scope

• Armat U1 Grenade Launcher Attachment

• Armat U4 Firebomb Launcher

• Armat U7 Tactical Shotgun Attachment

• Ashley, T.

• Atropureus

• Aureus

• Azureus

• Bailey, M.

• Baroski, S.

299 • Barrington, J.

• Barrington, K.

• Boiler

• Bradley, C.

• Brawley, J.

• Brown, J.

• Bulbosus

• Caeruleus

• Camp Hanneken

• Capes, D.

• Castro, R.

• Cataphractus

• Ceratos

• Chadwick, S.

• Chaveler, A.

• Cheng, J.

• Clarison, Bella

• Clarke, Lauren

• Conrad

• Cornigus

• Cristatus

• Crusher

• Cruz, Jeremy

• Cyaneus

• Daggs

• Davis, A.

• Diabolus

• Duplis, A.

• Duplis, C.

• Flavovirens

• Forcher, Z.

• Full-Auto Action Replacement

• Fulvus

• Garnett

• Greenlief, E.

• Hale, David

• Hale, Steven

• Handy, A.

• Hernandez

• Hibernus

• Hohenkerk

• Inquinans

300 • Jelley, M.

• Keyes

• Klassen

• Kobus

• Lateritus

• M37A2 Pump Shotgun

• M39 Sub-machine Gun

• M41A Pulse Rifle Mk2

• M4RA Battle Rifle

• Ma, J.

• Macaulay, M.

• Maio

• Matzke

• MK221 Tactical Shotgun

• Montgomery, A.

• Moore, M.

• Mooses, A.

• Morales K.

• Morris, Joshua

• Motorized Cycling Mechanism

• Nelson, C.

• Nexilis

• Norton, B.

• NSG 23 Assault Rifle

• “Nugget”

• O'Neal, Peter

• O'Reilly

• Origin

• Origin incident

• Paluski

• Papp, L.

• Porhyreus

• Prasinus

• Project Ilithyia

• Raider 6-3

• Raider 6-5

• Raven

• Rechner, D.

• Reid

• Rhino 2-1

• Rhino 2-3

• Roberts

301 • Romerio

• Rook

• Ruiz

• Rutilans

• Sanders, J.

• Sephora Actual

• Short

• Siwiak, R.

• Smith, R.

• Spicalus

• Spitter

• Stanton

• Stegos

• Sulaco Actual

• Tanaka

• Tolentino

• Trubetskoy, S.

• Umbilical

• Virens

• W-Y 21S Arc Round

• W-Y 2x Telescopic Zoom Sight

• W-Y 88 Mod4 Stock Iron Sight

• W-Y AF13 Shotgun

• W-Y BL11 Firearm Muffler

• W-Y C43 Extended Magazine

• W-Y C47 Box Magazine System

• W-Y H34 Fragmentation Rounds

• W-Y ID16 Incendiary Shells

• W-Y ID23 Incinerator Unit

• W-Y L14 Laser Targeting System

• W-Y MK221 Stock Iron Sight

• W-Y NSG 23 Stock Iron Sight

• W-Y R2 Recoil Dampening Stock

• W-Y RE93 Absorbing Stock

• W-Y S91 Dot Reflex Sight

• W-Y SR4 Burst Fire Modification

• Walkner, Andreas

• Washenfelder, J.

• Watkins, P.

• Wells

• Weyland, Michael

• Weyland-Yutani Research Frigate

302 • Wilson, N.

• Winter, Christopher

• Ziglar, J.

• Changed entries: (NOTE: Entries altered solely by addition of subheadings are not listed)

• Armat

• Atmosphere Processor

• Call, Annalee

• Chestburster

• Conestoga-class space transport

• Daihotai tractor

• David 8

• Derelict

• Domes Epsilon

• Drone

• Empress

• Fury 16 incident

• Hadley's Hope

• Hicks, Dwayne

• LV-426

• M240 Flamethrower

• M4A3 Service Pistol (entry name changed from M4A3 Pistol)

• Sephora

• Sulaco

• Long, multi-paragraph entries divided using subheadings.

• Added new scale chart to the third Appendix, covering the new Xenomorph subspecies from Aliens: Colonial Marines.

• Added character list for Aliens: Colonial Marines to the “Characters” section of Appendix II

• Reorganized USCM list into two separate lists in the “Characters” section of Appendix II to accommodate USCM soldiers involved in the Hadley's Hope incident

• Added, changed and removed various entries throughout the lists of Appendix II.

• Rewrote the last paragraph of the preface to keep it up-to-date. version 6 (release date: 12/22/2014):

• New entries:

• Aaron (Hadley's Hope)

• Aaron (Weyland-Yutani)

• Acidalia Desert

• Andrews (Legato colonist)

• Andrews, William

• BP-33 AAC Gun

• Brooke

303 • C-8

• C-95

• C-284

• Cameron, John

• Celestial Defense Platform

• Chau, Mei-Lin

• Chayton

• Coleman, Michael

• Davis, Sean

• Drapers

• Ethan

• Eva

• Fire Team Delta

• Fire Team Echo

• Fire Team Fox

• Fischer, Amber

• G2 Electroshock Grenade

• Hennick, Jay

• Heston, Frank

• Hutchins, Lisbeth

• IMP

• Johnston, Samantha

• Jorell

• Kennedy, Daniel

• Kennedy, Jonah R.

• Kennedy, Zoe Anna

• Kim, James

• Kim, James H.

• Legato

• Legato incident

• Levy, Richard

• Loney

• Losso, John

• M3 Personal Armor

• M10 Ballistic Helmet

• M20 Claymore Mine

• M239 Offensive Grenade

• M40 HEDP Grenade

• Marcus, Friedric

• Miller

• Monster Maze

• Operation Almond

304 • Origin facility

• Palms, Jeffrey

• Paulson, Brock

• Phobos

• Phobos Research Station

• Series 705 Ammo Drum

• Sevastopol

• Shiro

• Singh, Deepak

• Sinise, Angel

• Sonic Electronic Ball Breaker

• Steele, Patrick

• Stone, Samwell

• Sulaco incident

• Thanatos

• Thanatos encounter

• Thanatos incident

• Thompson, Hank

• Thompson Valley

• Thompson Valley Farms

• TNR

• Turk

• U4 Firebomb

• Union of Progressive People

• United States Colonial Marines

• UA 575 Remote Sentry

• UPP

• Vanora

• VP70 Pistol

• Watson, Jasper

• Whistler, Buddy

• Williams, David

• XM-99A Phased Plasma Pulse Rifle

• Changed entries:

• Aaron (entry name changed to “Aaron (Fiorina 161)” to accommodate new eponymous characters)

• Bishop II

• Crusher

• Hadley's Hope incident

• Hicks, Dwayne

• Jorden, Ann

• Jorden, Rebecca

305 • Jorden, Russ

• Jorden, Timothy

• LV-426

• M56A2 Smart Gun (renamed from M56 Smart Gun)

• Mars

• Morris, Joshua

• Origin incident

• Reid (entry name changed to “Reid, Lisa”)

• Sephora

• Sulaco

• USCM

• Weyland, Michael

• Added character lists for Aliens: Thanatos Encounter and Aliens: Infestation to the second Appendix.

• Added Alien: Isolation and Alien: Out Of The Shadows to the Abbreviation Codex and Resources.

• Added a new section concerning conjecture to “2. How to use this book”, also featuring an essay, “The two missions of the USS Sephora: Conjecture and the Alien Encyclopedia”, to illustrate information provided in this section.

• Rewrote the last paragraph of the preface to keep it up-to-date version 7 (dubbed “Outbreak Update”, release date: 17/10/2015):

• New entries:

• 342544-A, Revision II

• A-1/a

• A-2

• Air Pod

• Amazon Preserve

• American, The

• Antarctic City

• Australia

• Baines Amendment

• Barton

• Benedict

• Benedict mission

• Bill

• Bionational

• Bionational Internal Memorandum 385769.1

• Bionational Internal AV 42255-1

• Blake

• Brisbane

• Bueller, Mitchell

306 • Case #23325

• Case #232337

• Case #232558

• Case #232745

• C Company

• Chin

• Chlorpromazine

• Church of Immaculate Incubation

• Class-VII Spidersilk Armor

• CMA code

• CMC

• Coast Guard

• Collectors

• Coming, The

• Crawler

• Culp, Thomas

• Deedee

• Denebian Slime Spider

• Devil Dust

• DH Press

• Diego Suarez

• DNA Reflex

• Dryner, Tobias

• Duncan, T.M.

• Dutton

• Dvorak 10-CA

• Easley, T.J.

• Electroball

• Entcom

• Eye-Box

• Ellis

• Evolution of Television, The

• FCC

• Ferro

• Feildcrest Home

• Flip Ship

• Full Brain Reconstruction

• Full Isolation Technique

• Garbage Control

• GENstaff

• Gonzales, Maria

• Grandfather

307 • Grandma

• Great Truth

• Great Unwashed, The

• Green

• Haines

• Haliperidol

• Hannah

• Hatchet-face

• Havana

• Hawaii

• Hill

• Hovercar

• Hyperdyne Systems

• Hyperdyne 120-A/2+

• Hyperdyne 129-4

• Intel One

• Jakarta

• Jasper

• Jerrin

• Jet Rescue

• Joel

• Jones (Benedict crew member)

• Khadaji, Emile Antoon

• Kirkland Probe

• Lesser Miami

• Levitz

• Likowski, James T.

• Lin, Quan Chu

• Lucain

• Junket

• K-014

• Lyle

• M41-E Carbine

• Madras

• Madrid

• Mag

• Mala'kak

• Marksmanship Badge

• Marla

• Mary

• Massey, Patrick

• Mbutu

308 • MILCOM

• Military Alliance

• Model 244-2 Diagnoster

• Moscow

• New Chicago

• New Chile

• Planetary Security Act

• Olfactories

• Operation Outreach

• Orona, Waidslaw

• Ostrow

• Paris

• Parks

• Perkins

• PGSS

• Pindar

• Platinum Star

• Power Grid Switching System

• Pressor Field

• Quinn

• Ramirez

• Red

• Reine, Louis

• Rim

• Rim incident

• V4

• R-O-M Gun

• Room 4017

• Russ

• San Diego Arms Fair

• Sarah

• Sasha

• Smith

• Soporific Patch

• Stephens

• Sublims

• Subsonics

• Sumatran Guild

• Synapse Scrambler

• T-2 troop ship

• T-bag

• Terran Intelligence Agency

309 • Thoradin

• Theory Of Alien Propagation

• TCC

• TIA

• Triazolam

• Trinomine

• True Messiah

• TS-1

• Vick

• Walters

• WEA-Tech

• Webster, Emmett

• Wilks, David Arthur

• World Trade Center

• Xenomorph Homeworld

• Zendall, Gene

• Changed entries

• Cruz, Jeremy

• Engineers

• Jones (entry named changed to “Jones (cat)” to accommodate new eponymous entry)

• M40 HEDP Grenade

• Xenomorph

• Rewrote the last paragraph of the preface to keep it up-to-date

• Expanded the Table of Contents to reflect the more detailed navigation of the PDF file

• Included a new cover designed by myself version 8 (dubbed “Nightmare Asylum Update”, release date: xx/xx/2016):

• New entries

• 096-9011-D

• Amplite

• Amy

• Android

• Annie

• AP

• Arcturian Police Action

• Artificial Person

• Artificial Womb

• Atkins

• Ax, Jerico

• Bainbridge

• Berringetti Conflict

310 • Bibliocom

• Brandywine

• Brucie

• Bug Feeders

• Canberra

• Carbocon

• Ceman

• Charlotte

• Climate Control

• Delousing

• Dowling

• E-ration

• E-Space

• Egg Silo

• Einsteinian Space

• El Salvador

• Gizhamme

• Grant

• Greens

• Henry

• Hidden Underground

• Hormone Storm

• Human

• HWDS-C

• Jackson

• Jamaican Lonsdales

• Jenna

• Khadaji system

• Koch, Hermann

• Kohm

• Leather

• Lebanon II

• Leroy

• M-69 Machine Gun

• MacArthur

• Magruder, Jason S.

• Maury

• Maxwell

• Mona

• Nanopuke

• Natal province

• New Colonial Marines

311 • Number 9

• Number 15

• Number 19

• Nylon

• Patin, Robert T.

• Peterson, Sean J.

• Petey

• Powell, Eugene

• Ray

• Rehab

• Renus, Wolfgang R.

• Retro drive

• RM

• SekCom

• Simmons

• Sniffer

• Soypro

• Spears, Thomas A.W.

• Spears incident

• Spookeyes

• Spray suit

• Third Base

• Third Base project

• Thousand Canyons

• Voxcom

• Changed entries

• American, The

• Billie

• Bueller, Mitch

• Crawler

• Drone

• Earth War

• Einsteinian Warp

• Gateway Station

• Gravity Drive

• M41-E Carbine

• Ripley, Ellen L.

• United States Colonial Marines

• Wilks

• Xenomorph

• Added page numbers

312